BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Arms Trade: Latin America

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will discuss with international mail service and courier companies with registered offices in the UK the use of postal services for the export of handguns and small weapons to Central and Latin America.

Michael Fallon: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is the lead Department for the enforcement of the UK's strategic export controls which includes controls on exports of firearms. HMRC works in partnership with the Border Force, who deliver customs control activity at the UK border.
	HMRC and Border Force treat enforcing UK strategic export controls as a high priority and risk assess every export of firearms from the UK regardless of destination. Both Departments liaise regularly with Royal Mail Group (RMG) and Parcel Force who are responsible for the UK's international mail service as well as commercial companies responsible for courier consignments. They jointly conduct checks on any suspect shipments of firearms and ensure appropriate action is taken. These checks take a variety of forms and include a programme of anti-smuggling operations at key locations.

Higher Education

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the average distance away from home that undergraduates study at university.

David Willetts: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes data on student enrolments at UK higher education institutions (HEIs).
	HESA estimates show that for UK domiciled students entering full-time first degree courses in 2011/12, the average distance (as the crow flies) between their home postcode and their HEI of study was 59 miles; this has increased from 58 miles in 2010/11 and 56 miles in 2009/10.
	Please note that the figures supplied exclude the following students:
	Students domiciled in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man;
	Northern Irish domiciled students who go to study in England, Scotland or Wales. The same exclusions apply for English, Welsh and Scottish domiciled students who go on to study in Northern Ireland.
	Distance Learners and Open University students;
	Franchised students who are enrolled at one institution and are studying 100% elsewhere;
	Students of unknown domicile.
	There is also information available from UCAS covering the distance between a prospective student's home address and the university where they are accepted to study, which can be found on p107 of the End of Cycle Report:
	http://www.ucas.ac.uk/documents/End_of_Cycle_Report_12_12_2012.pdf

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Biofuels

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what quantity of stemwood and sawlogs was used for bioenergy generation in 2011-12; and what measures his Department is taking to minimise the use of those materials.

Gregory Barker: The Department does not require those who generate energy to provide data on the quantity of stemwood and sawlogs used in bioenergy generation. In the recent consultation on sustainability for biomass feedstock generators, DECC is consulting on introducing a requirement for those who generate energy to provide additional information on whether biomass used for power generation includes stemwood or sawlogs.

Biofuels

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what quantity of wood from trees killed by pests or disease was used for bioenergy generation in 2011-12; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that biosecurity is not compromised by increasing imports of such wood.

Gregory Barker: The Department does not hold information on the quantity of wood from trees killed by pests or disease used in bioenergy generation.
	The Forestry Commission regulates wood imports under the Plant Health (Forestry) Order 2005 (SI 2005 No. 2517), which implements in Great Britain the requirements prescribed in Council Directive 2000/29/EC (“the plant health directive”). This includes a requirement to heat-treat higher-risk woods from certain countries (including Canada).

Biofuels

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department plans to include the carbon dioxide emissions released on combustion of wood for electricity, and the time taken to neutralise these emissions from forest regrowth, in the proposed greenhouse gas standard for bioenergy receiving support via the renewables obligation.

Gregory Barker: The consultation on biomass sustainability criteria for the renewables obligation sets out our proposal to use the greenhouse gas lifecycle methodology from the 2009 EU renewable energy directive (RED), as amended to reflect recommendations from the EC report on sustainability requirements for solid biomass and biogas published in 2010.
	This methodology considers greenhouse gas emissions from the cultivation, harvesting, processing and transport of the biomass feedstock and from direct land use change where this occurs.
	The Government response to the consultation on biomass sustainability criteria for the renewables obligation will be published shortly.

Carbon Monoxide: Alarms

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has discussed with energy suppliers providing a carbon monoxide alarm for consumers receiving assistance under the energy company obligation scheme.

Gregory Barker: Carbon monoxide monitors are not eligible energy efficiency measures under the energy company obligation (ECO) scheme. However, during the assessment process, checks will be made for the presence of carbon monoxide monitors. Furthermore, installers of ECO measures have to comply with the PAS 2030 standard, which obligates the installer to check existing carbon monoxide monitors are working and whether they are sufficient to cover the installation of the ECO measure(s).
	In addition, under the Green Deal, Green Deal installers are obligated to ascertain whether or not any carbon monoxide monitors already installed have been tested within the past 12 months, and to install carbon monoxide monitors where required.

Energy: Prices

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the (a) wholesale and (b) retail cost of (i) electricity and (ii) gas in each of the last 12 years.

Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	DECC receives data on wholesale gas and electricity prices from commercial price reporting companies. DECC collects and publishes data on retail prices, split by domestic and industrial consumers.
	Wholesale prices from 2001 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Annual wholesale prices, p/k Wh current terms 
			  Electricity Gas 
			 2001 1.84 0.75 
			 2002 1.67 0.55 
			 2003 2.12 0.68 
			 2004 2.26 0.82 
			 2005 3.90 1.43 
			 2006 4.26 1.36 
			 2007 3.11 1.02 
			 2008 7.45 1.98 
			 2009 3.75 1.06 
			 2010 4.19 1.43 
			 2011 4.82 1.91 
			 2012 4.51 2.05 
		
	
	Industrial price data are published in Table 3.1.3 of DECC's Quarterly Energy Prices:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/86548/Annual_prices_of_fuels_ purchased_by_manufacturing_industry_original_units__QEP_3.1.3_.xls
	Domestic price data are published in Tables 2.2.3 and 2.3.3 of Quarterly Energy Prices:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/49373/qep223.xls
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/49377/qep233.xls
	The wholesale prices of gas and electricity have generally followed an upward trend since 2001.
	The high wholesale gas prices observed in 2008 are a result of the oil price spike when prices peaked at $146/bbl in July. Gas prices are linked to oil prices due to the widespread use of oil-index gas supply contracts in Europe, which feed through to the UK wholesale market. In 2009 the gas prices fell as demand contracted following the global recession, and production from unconventional sources in the US also increased the availability of LNG supplies, putting additional downward pressure on prices. This glut of LNG has subsequently been eroded due to increased demand for gas in Asia, putting upward pressure on UK wholesale gas prices.
	In general, wholesale electricity prices have moved with gas prices over this time period. This is because, in the GB wholesale electricity market, the marginal (price-setting) plant is usually a gas generator, which can pass through any changes in gas or carbon prices to the electricity price.
	The UK has a competitive retail energy supply market and setting of retail energy prices is a commercial decision for energy suppliers. The wholesale costs of gas and electricity make up around half the average domestic duel fuel bill, and, along with the rising costs associated with the need to replace ageing network infrastructure, have been the primary drivers of rising retail energy prices in recent years.
	Notes:
	1. Wholesale: Electricity data are sourced from Spectrometer reports, taking the average day-ahead baseload wholesale electricity prices for each year. The figure for 2002 has been constructed from fewer data points. Wholesale gas data are sourced from ICIS Heren.
	2. Domestic: 2012 data for domestic consumers are provisional. Final data will be published on 28 March. There is a break in the series in 2008: prior to 2008, prices are for standard credit consumers; from 2008 onwards, prices are an average across all consumers.
	3. Industrial: Prices are average annual prices paid by manufacturing industry. Data for 2012 are not currently available. 2012 data will be published on 28 March.

Green Deal Scheme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what rate of interest is charged on loans taken out under the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: Interest rates are a commercial matter for Green Deal providers to agree with consumers and can vary between providers. We understand the Green Deal Finance Company offers finance to Green Deal providers who choose this option at a rate of 6.96%, plus a flat administrative charge per plan of £63 to set up and £20 each year for the lifetime of the loan, which is competitive with the best deals on the high street. High street deals are dependent on good credit scores, making them inaccessible to around half the population, whereas GDFC's rate will be available to 80% of the population.

Hinkley Point C Power Station

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what consideration he has given to the letter of 13 March 2013 from four former directors of Friends of the Earth in respect of the funding arrangements for the proposed Hinkley C nuclear plant and its implications for wider electricity generation strategy and UK energy policy.

Michael Fallon: The letter from the four former directors of Friends of the Earth of 13 March 2013 is currently with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s office and a response will be issued in due course.

Hinkley Point C Power Station

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his Oral Statement of 19 March 2013, Official Report, columns 809-10, on Hinkley Point, what consideration he gave in assessing the environmental impact of generating electricity from the reactors of the local environment and health effects of the mining and milling of uranium fuel needed to fuel the nuclear plant; and if he will place in the Library a list of sources to which reference was made in making that assessment.

Michael Fallon: None. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State did not consider activities that take place overseas in making his decision. The Government’s position on uranium mining is set out in paragraphs 3.678 to 3.680 of the Government Response to Consultation on the Revised Draft National Policy Statements for Energy Infrastructure and in the Regulatory Justification decisions on the EPR and AP1000 reactor designs (paragraphs 6.171 to 6.207 of the EPR decision and paragraphs 6.175 to 6.211 of the AP1000 decision).
	These documents were placed in the Library of the House on publication and are available here:
	https://whitehall-admin.production.alphagov.co.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/37053/1945-govt-resp-consultation-on-nps.pdf
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-justification-decisions-on-nuclear-reactors

Nuclear Power

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what comparative assessment he has made of the use of thorium and uranium technologies in nuclear power electricity generation.

Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	DECC recently commissioned an initial comparative assessment of thorium and uranium technologies in nuclear power electricity generation. This is available online from:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/thorium-and-uranium-fuel-cycles-comparison-by-the-national-nuclear-laboratory

Nuclear Power Stations

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cheltenham of 28 February 2013, Official Report, column 632W, on nuclear power stations, what consideration he has given to requesting the National Audit Office to review whether his Department's plans to subsidise nuclear power represents value for money for UK taxpayers and businesses in respect of (a) carbon floor price support, (b) contracts for different support, (c) the underwriting of accident liability over a defined amount, (d) the underwriting of long-term waste storage and monitoring which go beyond any funded agreement in the event of that agreement failing and (e) the underwriting of construction costs for new nuclear power stations; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	An Investment Contract will only be agreed for Hinkley Point C if it represents a fair deal which is affordable and value for money for consumers, and is consistent with the Government's policy of no public subsidy for new nuclear, a positive state aid decision from the European Commission and Royal Assent of the supporting legislation. If a deal is agreed, we will set out the evidence to demonstrate that these tests have been satisfied. We would obviously comply fully with the National Audit Office's scrutiny of the deal, if it chooses to examine and report on the value for money considerations of the deal.

Peat Bogs

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether it is the policy of his Department to avoid siting energy infrastructure on peatlands.

Gregory Barker: It is Government policy that any proposal for siting energy infrastructure on peatlands should be assessed on its own merit.
	Applicants for consent for major energy infrastructure must provide assessments of potential biodiversity and geological impacts, which would include an assessment of the effects of locating the infrastructure on peatland if that was the case. The decision-making authority would need to take such impacts into account before making its decision. The National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure (EN-3)(1) contains further information on the assessment of applications for consent for onshore wind farms on peat.
	(1) https://Whitehall-admin.production.alphagov.co.uk/government/ uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/37048/1940-nps-renewable-energy-en3.pdf

Wind Power

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when the results of the Call for Evidence on Onshore Wind—Part A (Community Engagement and Benefits) published in September 2012 will be announced. [R]

Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	We are currently analysing all of the replies and will publish final reports on both Part A (Community Engagement and Benefits) and Part B (Costs) in the summer.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2013, Official Report, column 1124W, on Afghanistan, when he expects to release information on the cost of the withdrawal of British Military forces and equipment from Afghanistan.

Andrew Robathan: We expect current planning to allow estimated costs to be produced in the summer.

Afghanistan

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel were based in Afghanistan in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 19 December 2012, Official Report, column 841, in which he stated that the force level in Afghanistan is reducing from 9,000 at the end of 2012 to around 5,200 by the end of 2013, in line with the increased capability of the Afghan National Security Force (ANSF). This number is kept under review.
	The precise number of personnel in Afghanistan fluctuates on a daily basis for a variety of reasons. This will include mid-tour rest and recuperation, temporary absence for training, evacuation for medical reasons, the roulement of forces, visits and a range of other factors. We do not, therefore, publish actual figures for personnel deployed.

Armed Forces: Housing

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the amount of service family accommodation which will be required under his proposed new employment model in (a) Edinburgh and (b) Scotland by 2020.

Mark Francois: The final requirement for service family accommodation to support the revised structure of the armed forces in Scotland has not yet been confirmed.

Armed Forces: Housing

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations Ministers in his Department have made to colleagues at the Department for Work and Pensions on the effect of the under occupancy penalty on households where one or more members spend time away from home serving abroad.

Mark Francois: I had a meeting on 4 February 2013 with the Minister for Welfare Reform, Lord Freud, about several benefit issues, including the ‘under occupancy’ deduction. This meeting led to a greater shared understanding of how changes to benefit policies impact on members of the armed forces.
	The decision to claim benefits is a private matter about which the Ministry of Defence has no requirement to collect information. However, I am aware that there are concerns among some parents of service personnel that they may be affected and I am glad to be able to say that the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), announced on 12 March 2013, Official Report, columns 9-10WS, that adult children who are in the armed forces but who continue to live with parents will be treated as continuing to live at home, even when deployed on operations.

Armed Forces: Logistics

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made towards meeting its performance targets for making deliveries on time to (a) Afghanistan and (b) all other sites.

Philip Dunne: Due to the complexity of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) supply chain, information about delivery targets for equipment outside of the UK and north-west Europe is not readily available. For the Afghanistan theatre of operations equipment is dispatched by land, sea and air. All priority requests are required to be delivered by air within nine days from the point of departure in the UK to the point of arrival in theatre. In the majority of cases this timeline is achieved. In order to mitigate against delays in journey times the MOD holds sufficient stocks of equipment in Afghanistan to meet operational demands.
	Information about the delivery of equipment within the UK and north-west Europe for financial year 2011-12 is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 UK 
			  Immediate Priority Routine 
			 Mode of distribution Road-Air Road Road 
			 Performance timeline (days) 1 6 7 
			 Timeline achieved (%) 90 92 95 
		
	
	
		
			 North-west Europe 
			  Immediate Priority Routine 
			 Mode of distribution Road-Air Road Road 
			 Performance timeline (days) (1)1 6 7 
			 Timeline achieved (%) 79 85 95 
			 (1) In January 2012 the target for immediate deliveries to Germany was increased from one day to 36 hours to reflect more accurately the wide geographic spread of units in Germany. Factors that impacted on delays to journey times included road closures and adverse weather conditions. Note: Postal deliveries are excluded from these tables.

Armed Forces: Northern Ireland

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces based in Northern Ireland are registered to vote.

Mark Francois: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 March 2013, Official Report, column 437W, to the right hon. Member for East Renfrewshire (Jim Murphy). Surveys indicate that, overall, some two thirds of eligible service personnel are registered to vote.

Armed Forces: Northern Ireland

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many members of the armed forces have been based in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many members of the armed forces are based at each site in Northern Ireland.

Mark Francois: The number of armed forces personnel based in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number 
			 April 2009 4,390 
			 April 2010 4,140 
			 April 2011 4,010 
			 April 2012 3,740 
			 January 2013 2,730 
		
	
	Of the 2,730 armed forces personnel based in Northern Ireland up to January 2013, their basing is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 Antrim 820 
			 Belfast 20 
			 Castlereagh 10 
			 Craigavon 10 
			 Down 590 
			 Lisburn 600 
			 North Down (1)670 
			 (1) Rounding has been used in the gathering of the data, totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not equal the sums of their rounded parts. 
		
	
	There will be further changes to the numbers and location of armed forces personnel based in Northern Ireland as a result of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence’s basing announcement of 5 March 2013, Official Report, columns 845-848.

Armed Forces: Northern Ireland

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army families reside in Northern Ireland.

Mark Francois: There are currently around 650 Army families living in service family accommodation within Northern Ireland.

Armed Forces: Scotland

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2012, Official Report, column 708W, on armed forces: Scotland, if he will place in the Library a copy of the capacity review of the Army estate in Scotland.

Andrew Robathan: I am withholding the capacity review of the Army estate in Scotland as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

Armed Forces: Scotland

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to his Department's Strategic Defence and Security Review, on 26 October 2010, Official Report, Cm 7948, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) personnel capacity and (b) potential for expansion of (i) Glencorse Barracks, (ii) Glencorse HIVE and (iii) other associated facilities.

Andrew Robathan: As part of the Army Basing Plan announced by the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), on 5 March 2013, work was carried out to assess the capacity of the Defence estate which included Glencorse. I am withholding the information requested as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many allegations of (a) rape, (b) assault by penetration and (c) sexual assault have been made by armed forces personnel serving in Germany in each year since 2005; how many of these allegations have been referred for prosecution; how many have resulted in a conviction; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Francois: The following table provides the number of allegations of rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault made by armed forces personnel serving in Germany each year since 1 November 2009 to 31 December 2012.
	
		
			  Rape Sexual Assault by Penetration Sexual Assault 
			 2009 1 0 2 
			 2010 2 1 6 
			 2011 3 2 4 
			 2012 1 2 5 
			 Total 7 5 17 
		
	
	The above allegations make up seven cases of rape and 22 cases of sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault. Of these:
	
		
			  Rape Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault by Penetration 
			 Cases not investigated because the complaint was not pursued 0 2 
			 Cases investigated but not resulting in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority under the Armed Forces Act 2006 1 3 
			 Cases resulting in persons being referred to a prosecuting authority under the Armed Forces Act 2006 but did not result in court martial or other disciplinary proceedings 4 1 
			 Cases resulting in a conviction 0 5 
			 Cases which resulted in a court martial or other disciplinary proceedings which resulted in a conviction for a lesser offence 0 3 
			 Cases resulting in a court martial or other disciplinary proceedings which did not result in a conviction 0 1 
			 Cases ongoing 2 7 
		
	
	The data provided are based on information recorded by service police for the period between 1 November 2009, the date of the implementation of the Armed Forces Act 2006, and 31 December 2012.

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many allegations of assault by penetration have been made by serving armed forces personnel since 2005 by service and gender; how many such allegations have been referred for prosecution; how many have resulted in a conviction; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Francois: The following table provides details of the number of allegations recorded by the service police of assault by penetration made by female and male members of each service each year from 1 November 2009, the date of the implementation of the Armed Forces Act 2006, to 31 December 2012.
	
		
			  Navy Army Air Force 
			  Female Male Female Male Female Male 
			 2009 0 0 2 0 0 0 
			 2010 0 0 7 2 1 0 
			 2011 2 0 7 5 2 0 
			 2012 0 0 5 3 0 0 
			 Total 2 0 21 10 3 0 
		
	
	The above allegations make up 36 cases. Of these:
	Five cases were not investigated because the complaint was not pursued;
	Five cases were investigated but did not result in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority under the Armed Forces Act 2006;
	Seven cases resulted in persons being referred to a prosecuting authority under the Armed Forces Act 2006 but did not result in court martial or other disciplinary proceedings;
	Four cases which resulted in a court martial or other disciplinary proceedings resulted in a conviction;
	Four cases which resulted in a court martial or other disciplinary proceedings resulted in a conviction for a lesser offence;
	Three cases resulted in a court martial or other disciplinary proceedings which did not result in a conviction, and
	Eight cases are ongoing.
	Service police data are based on cases where the service police have jurisdiction and the investigative lead.
	The Military Defence Police do not have any cases recorded of armed forces personnel making allegations of assault by penetration during the period 1 November 2009 to 31 December 2012.

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many allegations of child sexual offences have been made by (a) service personnel and (b) civilian staff based in the UK in each year since 2005; how many of these (i) were referred for prosecution and (ii) resulted in a conviction; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many of the allegations of child sexual offences made against (a) service personnel and (b) civilian staff based in the UK in each year since 2005 (i) were referred for prosecution and (ii) resulted in a conviction; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence holds the following information on allegations of child sexual offences made by and against service personnel and civilians based in the UK between the implementation of the Armed Forces Act 2006 on 1 November 2009 and 31 December 2012:
	
		
			  Allegations(1) made by service personnel Allegations made by civilian staff 
			 2009 0 1 
			 2010 7 0 
			 2011 5 0 
			 2012 1 0 
			 Total 13 1 
			 (1) This includes offences as defined in sections 4-15 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and other sexual offences where the alleged victim is under 18. 
		
	
	Information held on the above cases indicates the following outcomes:
	Five cases were either not investigated or were investigated but did not result in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority.
	One case resulted in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority but did not result in either proceedings or a conviction.
	Five cases resulted in a court martial or other proceedings which resulted in a conviction.
	Three cases are ongoing.
	
		
			  Allegations made against service personnel Allegations made against civilian staff 
			 2009 8 6 
			 2010 13 2 
			 2011 6 4 
			 2012 1 4 
			 Total 28 16 
		
	
	Information held on the above cases indicates the following outcomes:
	24 cases were either not investigated or were investigated but did not result in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority.
	Four cases resulted in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority but did not result in either proceedings or a conviction.
	13 cases resulted in a court martial or other proceedings which resulted in a conviction.
	Three cases are ongoing.

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many of the allegations of child sexual offences made by (a) service personnel and (b) civilian staff based in Germany in each year since 2005 (i) were referred for prosecution and (ii) resulted in a conviction; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many of the allegations of child sexual offences made against (a) service personnel and (b) civilian staff based in Germany in each year since 2005 (i) were referred for prosecution and (ii) resulted in a conviction; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has no record of any allegations of child sexual offences(1) made by service personnel or civilians in Germany in the period between the implementation of the Armed Forces Act 2006 on 1 November 2009 and 31 December 2012.
	The Ministry of Defence holds the following information relating to allegations made against service personnel and civilians in Germany in this period:
	
		
			  Allegations made against service personnel Allegations made against civilian staff 
			 2009 0 0 
			 2010 7 0 
			 2011 3 1 
			 2012 3 1 
		
	
	The 15 allegations above constitute a total of 14 cases. Information held on these cases indicates the following outcomes:
	Two cases were investigated but did not result in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority under the Armed Forces Act 2006.
	One case resulted in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority under the Armed Forces Act 2006 but did not result in court martial or other disciplinary proceedings.
	Seven cases which resulted in a court martial or other proceeding which resulted in a conviction.
	One case resulting in a court martial or other proceeding which did not result in a conviction.
	Three cases are ongoing.
	(1 )This includes offences as defined in sections 4-15 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and other sexual offences where the alleged victim is under 18.

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many allegations relating to the possession of indecent images have been made by (a) armed forces personnel and (b) civilian staff based in the UK in each year since 2005; how many of these have (i) been referred for prosecution and (ii) resulted in a conviction; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many allegations relating to the possession of indecent images have been made against (a) armed forces personnel and (b) civilian staff based in the UK in each year since 2005; how many of these have (i) been referred for prosecution and (ii) resulted in a conviction; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence holds the following information on allegations of possession of indecent images over the period between the implementation of the Armed Forces Act 2006 on 1 November 2009 and 31 December 2012:
	
		
			  Allegations(1) made by service personnel Allegations made by civilian staff 
			 2009 0 0 
			 2010 9 3 
			 2011 12 4 
			 2012 6 0 
			 Total 27 7 
			 (1) This includes all indecent images of children and extreme pornography as defined by the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Protection of Children's Act 1978. 
		
	
	Information held on the above 34 cases indicates the following outcomes:
	10 cases were either not investigated or were investigated but did not result in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority.
	One case resulted in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority under the Armed Forces Act 2006 but did not result in court martial or other disciplinary proceedings.
	Five cases resulted in a court martial or other proceeding which resulted in a conviction.
	One case resulted in a court martial or other proceeding which resulted in a conviction for a lesser offence.
	17 cases are ongoing.
	
		
			  Allegations made against service personnel Allegations made against civilian staff 
			 2009 4 1 
			 2010 8 0 
			 2011 13 2 
			 2012 6 0 
			 Total 31 3 
		
	
	The 34 allegations (above) constitute a total of 32 cases. Information held on these cases indicates the following outcomes:
	12 cases were either not investigated or were investigated but did not result in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority.
	One case resulted in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority under the Armed Forces Act 2006 but did not result in Court Martial or other disciplinary proceedings.
	Nine cases resulted in a court martial or other proceedings which resulted in a conviction.
	One case resulted in a court martial or other proceeding which resulted in a conviction for a lesser offence.
	Nine cases are ongoing.

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many allegations relating to the possession of indecent images have been made by (a) armed forces personnel and (b) civilian staff based in Germany in each year since 2005; how many of these have (i) been referred for prosecution and (ii) resulted in a conviction; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence holds the following information on allegations of possession of indecent images in Germany over the period between the implementation of the Armed Forces Act 2006 on 1 November 2009 and 31 December 2012:
	
		
			  Allegations(1) made by service personnel Allegations made by civilian staff 
			 2009 0 0 
			 2010 2 0 
			 2011 5 0 
			 2012 4 0 
			 Total 11 0 
			 (1) This includes all indecent images of children and extreme pornography as defined by the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Protection of Children's Act 1978. 
		
	
	This table shows allegations made by service personnel. We have no record of any allegations made by civilian staff in this period.
	Information held on the above cases indicates the following outcomes:
	Four cases were investigated but did not result in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority under the Armed Forces Act 2006.
	Two cases resulted in a court martial or other proceeding resulting in a conviction.
	Five cases are ongoing.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what plans he has to procure materials from UK suppliers for the serial production phase of the ASCOD SV programme;
	(2)  what proportion of the content, by value, of the serial production specialist vehicles being procured from General Dynamics European Land Systems will be sourced from UK suppliers.

Philip Dunne: The prime contract for the demonstration phase of the Scout specialist vehicle programme was awarded to General Dynamics UK Limited (GD UK) in June 2010 following an open competition. On completion, the output from the demonstration phase will inform the Ministry of Defence's decision for manufacture and initial in-service support.
	GD UK, as the prime contractor, is responsible for the selection of its supply chain. It has previously indicated that a majority of the contract activity will be conducted in the UK.

Depleted Uranium

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what testing regimes he has put in place to measure any (a) changes in the specific activity of depleted uranium penetrator stock and (b) difference in activity between penetrators manufactured from different batches of depleted uranium.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 25 March 2013
	A report entitled ‘Ministry of Defence Depleted Uranium Research Programme; Radiochemical Analysis Task Summary Customer Report, Dstl/CR23587 VI.0’, dated 20 May 2007, has previously been placed in the Library of the House. This report describes the testing and the need for testing of depleted uranium munitions stocks. It is based on work by the MOD and on information from the Royal Society, United Nations and US Army reports.
	The report concludes that as variations in radionucleide content have not been found to be of any recognised health significance, there was no need for specific testing. However, we are not complacent and continue to review emerging information in the scientific and other literature.

Depleted Uranium: Solway Firth

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish his Department's timetable of work to recover depleted uranium rounds from the Solway Firth; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has no plans to recover depleted uranium rounds from the Solway Firth.

Disclosure of Information

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants in his Department have been subject to non-disclosure agreements in each year since 2010.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence is not aware of any incidence of the use of a non-disclosure agreement. However, all staff are required to adhere to the terms of the Civil Service Code, the Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA) 1998 and, where appropriate, the Official Secrets Act.

Fuels: Prices

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether cost increases arising from fuel inflation are included in the built-in risk for his Department's core equipment programme.

Philip Dunne: holding answer 1 February 2013
	The costs of operating defence equipment, including the costs of fuel, are not provided for in the core equipment plan. The Ministry of Defence's overall forward plan includes an estimate of the fuel volumes required and expected changes in cost. Exposure to fluctuations in the market prices of aviation and marine fuels is managed using swap contracts for forward deliveries. This arrangement provides price stability and more efficient budgetary planning.

Military Bases

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the statement of 5 March 2013, Official Report, column 845, on the Army basing plan, what assessment he has made of the effects on service families of movement of service children between the Scottish and English education systems; and what assessment he has made of the effects of this announcement on the (a) capacity, (b) costs and (c) operation of the Queen Victoria School in Dunblaine.

Mark Francois: The normal posting and appointment process for service personnel means that service children routinely move between the differing curricula in the countries of the UK and overseas. The challenges of changing curricula are well understood, and comprehensive advice is available to service parents through the Department's Children's Education Advisory Service.
	For unit-level moves, additional advice is provided to unit staff, and to schools and local authorities, or equivalents in the unit's current and future catchment areas. This process will continue to be followed during future moves into and out of Scotland and will benefit from the recent appointment of a National Transitions Officer for Scotland, funded through Fife Council by the Ministry of Defence's £3 million support fund for State Schools with Service children.
	Although admission to Queen Victoria School Dunblane requires the serving parent to have an appropriate link to Scotland, the full-boarding nature of the school means that families are based throughout the UK and overseas. We do not expect re-basing into and out of Scotland to significantly impact on the school in terms of capacity, costs or operation.

Military Bases: Edinburgh

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where he expects (a) the Army Bomb Disposal Unit and (b) other units based at Craigiehall, other than the 2nd Division headquarters, to be based after the closure of Craigiehall before the completion of any new facilities.

Andrew Robathan: Edinburgh Troop, 521 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron, Royal Logistics Corps is currently planned to move from Craigiehall to Dreghorn Barracks during 2016. The facilities will be ready prior to this move. The other small lodger units based at Craigiehall will be relocated as required prior to the disposal of the site.

Military Bases: Edinburgh

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral statement of 5 March 2013, Official Report, column 847, on Army basing plan, what plans his Department has for the future of the Castlelaw and Dreghorn training area.

Andrew Robathan: The detail of the future training estate requirement following Army 2020 is subject to further work.

Military Bases: Kirknewton

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the right hon. and learned Member for North East Fife of 6 February 2013, Official Report, column 235W, on military bases: Kirknewton, if he will place in the Library a copy of the notes taken of the meeting on 11 January 2011.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 13 February 2013
	The notes of the meeting are available on the Ministry of Defence's Freedom of Information website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notes-of-a-meeting-between-the-secretary-of-state-for-defence-and-the-first-minister-of-scotland-on-11-january-2011
	These notes were not cleared with the Private Office and should not be taken as an official record of the meeting. They were first released as a result of an FOI request in September 2012.

Military Bases: Scotland

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 18 October 2011, Official Report, column 879, on military bases, what timescale his Department has set for the phased disposal of the three Defence Estate sites in Edinburgh;
	(2)  if he will place copies of maps of the defence estate lands in Edinburgh which his Department proposes to sell in the Library.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 October 2011, Official Report, column 879.
	The Army basing plan announcement by the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), on 5 March 2013, Official Report, columns 845-8) noted that the Ministry of Defence still intends to dispose of Craigiehall, and part of Redford barracks. However, Dreghorn barracks will continue to be used.
	The decision on which part of Redford Barracks to be disposed of is subject to further work. Craigiehall is set to be disposed of in 2016.

Military Bases: Scotland

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  pursuant to his oral statement of 5 March 2013, Official Report, columns 845-63W, on Army basing plan, if he will take steps to ensure that military personnel in all parts of Scotland have access to similar facilities to those provided by the (a) Army education centre, (b) Army learning Centre and (c) Edinburgh HIVE of Redford and Dreghorn Barracks;
	(2)  what plans his Department has for the provision of information services to military personnel from (a) Edinburgh, (b) Stirling, (c) Glasgow and (d) other parts of Scotland following the closure of Edinburgh Dreghorn HIVE.

Andrew Robathan: Army personnel have access to a range of education and learning facilities in Scotland. The locations of these are being reviewed in the light of the Army basing plan to ensure that the greatest number of personnel have access to them.
	The location of HIVEs in Scotland is also being reviewed. There are currently no plans to move the Edinburgh HIVE from Dreghorn Barracks.

Recruitment

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on advertising job vacancies in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007, (d) 2008 and (e) 2009.

Mark Francois: The information requested was not held centrally until February 2007. The departmental spend on advertising job vacancies from 2007 to 2009 was as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2007 617,093.00 
			 2008 1,622,461.00 
			 2009 1,575,163.00 
		
	
	This does not include senior civil service job vacancies for which compilation will take time. I will write to the hon. Member once the information has been collated.

Reserve Forces

Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in reaching its target of 30,000 deployable Army reservists.

Mark Francois: After a long-term decline in numbers, the number of enquiries from those interested in joining the Territorial Army (TA) has increased and early indications are that the trained strength for the TA is now stabilising at around 19,000.
	Implementation of Future Reserves 2020 is progressing for all reserve forces, including those within the Army. Proposals in the forthcoming White Paper will set the conditions to deliver the required reserve force strengths in the future. For the Army we anticipate that, together with the White Paper, transforming the Army recruiting system through the Recruiting Partnering Project with Capita and new recruiting campaigns will lead to a significant increase in recruiting performance.

Syria

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps UK military personnel in Jordan are taking to assist Syrian rebels.

Andrew Robathan: Jordan is a key partner in our regional policy for the Middle East. This relationship includes the deployment of UK military personnel to Jordan on a regular basis.
	After successfully securing an amendment to the EU arms embargo, the UK is now able to provide non-lethal military equipment and all forms of technical assistance to the Syrian National Coalition where it is intended for the protection of civilians.
	Additionally, the UK will also assist elements of the opposition in understanding their responsibilities and obligations under international law, and international human rights.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for each of the principal access numbers operated by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible, what revenue has been retained by (i) the telephone provider for that line and (ii) his Department in each of the last three years.

Mark Francois: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 March 2013, Official Report, column 443W to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Richard Burden)
	Neither the Ministry of Defence nor its agencies have retained any revenue for the principal access numbers which are provided through the Defence Fixed Telecommunications Service contract with British Telecom (BT).

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which telephone lines are operated by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible for public inquiries or other services; what the (i) principal access number and (ii) telephone service provider is for each number; and which such lines (A) are free to the caller and (B) may incur a charge to the caller.

Mark Francois: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 March 2013, Official Report, column 443W) to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Richard Burden).
	The following table depicts the number of premium rate numbers which are free to the caller and those which may incur a charge to the caller provided through the Defence Fixed Telecommunications Service contract with British Telecom.
	
		
			 Premium Rate Telephone Number Prefix Free to caller Local Rate Charge to caller National Rate Charge to caller 
			 0800 (x 79 numbers) 79 0 0 
			 0808 (x 1 number) 1 0 0 
			 0845 (x 21 numbers) 0 21 0 
			 0870 (x 2 numbers) 0 0 2 
			 Thursday 28 March 2013

Territorial Army: Edinburgh

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to his Department's Strategic Defence and Security Review published in 2010, what proportion of the increase in the size of the Territorial Army will be based in Edingburgh; what the current strength is of the Territorial Army and his assessment of its required strength in 2020; and what assessment he has made of the capacity of the Territorial Army estate in and around Edinburgh to accommodate the estimated rises in Territorial Army numbers.

Andrew Robathan: Further to the publication of the Strategic Defence and Security Review in October 2010, I refer the hon. Member to the statement made the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), on 5 March 201, Official Report, column 1085, in which he said that the future strength of the Army would include an integrated trained reserve of 30,000.
	The current, trained strength of the Territorial Army is around 19,000. Proposals in the forthcoming White Paper will set the conditions to deliver the required reserve force strengths in the future. For the Army we anticipate that, together with the White Paper, transforming the Army recruiting system through the Recruiting Partnering Project with Capita and new recruiting campaigns will lead to a significant increase in recruiting performance.
	A £1.8 billion package has been allocated to improving training and equipment for the reserves.
	The future basing plan for the Territorial Army is currently under review and is expected to be announced before the summer recess.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the recent displacement of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the M23 rebel group.

Mark Simmonds: We remain concerned that the number of internally displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to rise because of the activities of the M23 and other armed groups. There are an estimated 2.7 million displaced people in DRC today compared to 1.7 million at the start of 2012. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), saw the impact of the recent fighting when he visited camps near Goma during his recent visit.
	We strongly support the peace, security and co-operation framework signed on 24 February and the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC's revised mandate as the basis for finding long-term sustainable solutions to the conflict in the east of DRC, and are committed to providing effective and timely emergency support to those affected by violence.

Guatemala

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with his US counterpart the sale of personal semi-automatic weapons to Guatemala and its effects on regional security.

Hugo Swire: There are currently no plans to raise or discuss the sale of personal semi-automatic weapons to Guatemala with US counterparts. We welcome Guatemala's strong support for the arms trade treaty and will continue to work with the US and Guatemalan Governments to tackle regional security issues.

Kenya

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department took to support a democratic election process in Kenya.

Mark Simmonds: The UK has strongly supported efforts to deliver credible and peaceful elections in Kenya and urged Kenya's politicians to support the organisations tasked with achieving this, including the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and judiciary. In addition, the UK has, through the Department for International Development, provided £16 million of funding to support the election commission, voter education, tackling hate speech, peace building, police reforms and election security.

Kenya

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential effect of Kenya's presidential election on UK interests in that region.

Mark Simmonds: We are pleased that the Kenyan elections occurred peacefully, ensuring there was no repeat of the violence that marred the 2007 elections and which impacted negatively on the regional economy.
	We will continue to have a strong shared interest in working together with the new Kenyan Government on important areas of co-operation including regional security issues such as Somalia and piracy.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  for each of the principal access numbers operated by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible, what revenue has been retained by (i) the telephone provider for that line and (ii) his Department in each of the last three years;
	(2)  which telephone lines are operated by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible for public inquiries or other services; what the (i) principal access number and (ii) telephone service provider is for each number; and which such lines (A) are free to the caller and (B) may incur a charge to the caller.

David Lidington: No telephone numbers in use by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) or its agencies require the public to make telephone calls which charge more than the national rate. No revenue is derived from these numbers.
	The telephone service provider for the FCO is Level 3. Information on the telephone service providers for agencies is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Principal contact numbers for the FCO and agencies are as follows:
	FCO switchboard, including the FCO Global Response Centre (020 7008 1500)
	FCO consular assistance, including Child Abduction Section helpline and the Forced Marriage Unit helpline (020 7008 1500)
	FCO Legalisation Office; and births, marriages and deaths enquiries (03700 00 22 44)
	FCO Services (01908 515789)
	Wilton Park (01903 815020)
	British Council (0161 957 7755).

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General what proportion of cases referred to Crown Prosecution Service prosecutors by the police were (a) decisions to charge, (b) decisions to caution and (c) decisions to take no further action in each of the last 10 years.

Dominic Grieve: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the numbers of suspects referred to prosecutors for a pre-charge decision since Statutory Charging was fully rolled out across England and Wales in April 2006.
	The following table shows, in each of the last six years for which figures are available, the proportion of decisions to charge, caution (including conditional cautions) and to take no further action.
	
		
			 Percentage 
			  (a) Charge (b) Caution (c) No further action 
			 2006-07 45.8 2.4 31.9 
			 2007-08 55.8 3.0 29.4 
			 2008-09 57.7 3.4 26.5 
			 2009-10 56.7 3.4 26.7 
			 2010-11 58.5 2.9 25.5 
			 2011-12 60.2 2.5 24.0

Crown Prosecution Service

Philip Davies: To ask the Attorney-General how many non-qualified lawyers are prosecuting cases in court for the Crown Prosecution Service.

Dominic Grieve: CPS prosecutors who appear as advocates in court are regulated by an approved regulator in accordance with the Legal Services Act 2007. The qualification, training and extent of their rights of audience are determined by their approved regulator. All CPS prosecutors are qualified to the standards set by their approved regulator.

Domestic Violence: Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General whether the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) monitors the number of occasions in which domestic violence suspects against whom the CPS decides to take no further action are subsequently arrested and charged for a similar offence.

Dominic Grieve: Monitoring by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not identify the number of domestic violence suspects against whom the CPS decides to take no further action, who are subsequently arrested and charged with a similar offence.
	Such a decision is, however, recorded by the police, so that if there is any subsequent similar allegation, consideration can be given to whether it should be reviewed and the suspect charged with both offences. Alternatively it can be used as a basis for making a bad character application in any subsequent prosecution.

Rape: Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General whether the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) monitors the number of occasions in which rape suspects against whom the CPS decides to take no further action are subsequently arrested and charged for a similar offence.

Dominic Grieve: Monitoring by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not identify the number of rape suspects against whom the CPS decides to take no further action, who are subsequently arrested and charged with a similar offence.
	Such a decision is, however, recorded by the police, so that if there is any subsequent similar allegation, consideration can be given to whether it should be reviewed and the suspect charged with both offences. Alternatively it can be used as a basis for making a bad character application in any subsequent prosecution.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  for each of the principal access numbers operated by (a) the Law Officers Departments and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible, what revenue has been retained by (i) the telephone provider for that line and (ii) his Department in each of the last three years;
	(2)  which telephone lines are operated by (a) the Law Officers Departments and (b) the agencies for which the Law Officers Departments are responsible for public inquiries or other services; what the (i) principal access number and (ii) telephone service provider is for each number; and which such lines (A) are free to the caller and (B) may incur a charge to the caller.

Dominic Grieve: The principal access numbers for the Law Officers Departments are as follows:
	
		
			 Department Line function Service provider Number 
			 Attorney-General's Office Public Enquiry Point (PEP) Level 3 Communications UK Limited 020 7271 2492 
			 Serious Fraud Office Switchboard Virgin Media 020 7239 7272 
			 Treasury Solicitor's Department (TSol) Bona Vacantia and Litigation/Employment Inquiry Line Level 3 Communications UK Limited 020 7210 4700 
			 TSol TSol General Inquiries Level 3 Communications UK Limited 020 7210 3000 
			 HMCPSI HMCPSI General Inquiry Level 3 Communications UK Limited 020-7210 1160 
			 Crown Prosecution Service PEP Level 3 Communications UK Limited 0203 357 0899 
		
	
	No information is held on the revenue retained by the provider for these numbers in each of the last three years. Callers are charged at their normal network rate. No revenue is received by the Law Officers Departments in respect of any public access numbers.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Disclosure of Information

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many civil servants in the Government Equalities Office have been subject to non-disclosure agreements in each year since 2010.

Helen Grant: There are no civil servants in the Government Equalities Office who have been subject to non-disclosure agreements in each year since 2010.

Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many officials in the Government Equalities Office qualify for privilege days; and what the total cost to the public purse was of the number of privilege days utilised each year by such officials.

Helen Grant: All Government Equalities Office (GEO) employees are entitled to 2.5 days privilege holidays in line with the rest of the civil service, as follows:
	Maundy Thursday (half day)
	The Queen’s Birthday (one day)
	Christmas/New Year period (one day)
	No assessment has been made of the cost of privilege days to the public purse by GEO. We do not hold central records for our non-departmental public bodies.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Buildings

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the names and locations are of all properties used by officials of her Department; whether those properties are (a) owned by the Department, (b) leased by the Department and (c) subject to a private finance initiative agreement; when existing lease agreements relating to such properties are due to expire; and what the total floor space is of each property.

Michael Penning: My Department uses three properties, one in London (Millbank) and two in Northern Ireland (Stormont House and Hillsborough Castle). The information requested in relation to each is set out as follows:
	Millbank
	A total floor space of 3,098 m(2) is leased by my Department; the lease expired on 31 March 2013;
	Stormont House
	A total floor space of 3,357 m(2) is leased by my Department; the lease is due to expire on 31 March 2015;
	Hillsborough Castle
	This property has a total floor space of 4,226 m(2) and is owned by Her Majesty's Government.
	None of these properties are subject to a private finance initiative agreement.

Staff

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will estimate her Department's total staffing requirement in full-time equivalent posts for fulfilling its minimum statutory obligations.

Michael Penning: My Department's core statutory functions, and associated staff numbers and costs, are outlined in the Northern Ireland Office's Annual Report and Accounts, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Direct Selling

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the organisation Which? on nuisance telephone calls.

Edward Vaizey: No recent discussions have been held with Which?, regarding nuisance telephone calls. However, I will shortly be inviting representatives from consumer groups, which includes Which?, to a forthcoming round table, that will consider what further improvements can be made in this area.

Internet: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many households in Ashfield constituency do not have access to the internet.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom's Communication Infrastructure Report 2012 stated that current generation broadband is available in close to 100% of premises in the UK. Ofcom estimated that 1.3% of UK premises were in potential broadband notspots, but noted that where broadband is not available via fixed access networks, customers may have access via other technologies such as satellite and mobile services or local community schemes.
	From the evidence available, in the Nottinghamshire County Council area there is 71.3% total broadband take-up
	http://maps.ofcom.org.uk/broadband/
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) Internet Access Update also shows a figure of 80.7% of adults (aged 16+) in North Nottinghamshire and 80.6% of adults (aged 16+) in South Nottinghamshire, who have ever used the internet
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778 300874.pdf

Olympic Games 2012: Northern Ireland

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many members of the Great Britain Olympic team were from Northern Ireland.

Hugh Robertson: There were six athletes from Northern Ireland in Team GB (Olympics) at London 2012. Three of them won medals: Peter and Richard Chambers won silver in the Men's Lightweight Four (Rowing) and Alan Campbell won bronze in the Men's Single Sculls (Rowing). The others were Wendy Houvenaghel (Cycling), Iain Lewers (Hockey), and Na Lui (Table Tennis).

Press: Regulation

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under what circumstances the blog of an hon. Member would be subject to the provisions of the new press regulation system.

Edward Vaizey: As Leveson recommended, and in line with the cross-party agreement on 18 March, the Government will be establishing a system of exemplary costs and damages to create an incentive for the press to take part in the new self-regulatory system. The clauses being introduced to the Crime and Courts Bill are to give effect to this new system and include a definition of ‘relevant publisher'; groups such as lone bloggers and tweeters would not be expected to join the self-regulator. This means that single-person blogs, such as the hon. Member's ‘A view from Rural Wales', would not be affected.
	In recognition that people have been seeking clarification on how the legislation could apply to small-scale bloggers, the Government have made clear that a period of reflection will now be undertaken in order to consider whether or not there is a need for further amendment.

Public Expenditure

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the Budget 2013 Red Book, Table 2.5, which capital items and projects are no longer proceeding as a consequence of the underspend for her Department in 2012-13; and if she will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport capital underspend (set out in table 2,5 of the Budget 2013 Red Book) largely reflects changes in programme delivery timetables, efficiencies and planned transfers to other Departments, and is not the result of any capital items or projects being cancelled. The Department will set out its spending for the year, in detail, in its annual accounts in the usual way.

Sickness Absence

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many officials in (a) her Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies have had (i) fewer than five days, (ii) five to 10 days, (iii) 10 to 15 days, (iv) 15 to 20 days, (v) 20 to 25 days, (vi) 25 to 50 days, (vii) 50 to 75 days, (viii) 75 to 100 days, (ix) 100 to 150 days, (x) 150 to 200 days, (xi) more than 200 days, (xii) more than three months, (xiii) more than six months and (xiv) more than one year on paid sick leave (A) consecutively and (B) in total in each of the last five years.

Hugh Robertson: The following table shows the proportion of days on average, staff were absent as a result of ill health in each of the last five financial years. More detailed information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. We do not hold central records for our non-departmental public bodies.
	
		
			 Financial Year 2007-08 200S-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Total Average Working days lost 2.1 33 4.8 4.9 4.2 
			 Estimated cost of such absence per employee £476.19 £748.30 £1,088.44 £1,111.11 £952.38 
		
	
	For 2011-12, the Civil Service wide sickness rate was 7.6 average working days lost.
	This Department is committed to the health and welfare of its staff, helping staff to stay healthy and reducing the need for sick leave. Support is provided to staff returning from long-term sick leave, referring them to Occupational Health to advise on how best to facilitate a return to work and offering access to an Employee Assistance Programme for independent advice and support.

Special Olympics: Northern Ireland

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many members of the Great Britain Special Olympics team were from Northern Ireland.

Hugh Robertson: DCMS does not hold information about the make up of the Great Britain Special Olympic Team. The hon. Member may wish to contact Special Olympics GB, who are responsible for selecting the team, via the following link:
	http://www.specialolympicsgb.org.uk

Telephone Services

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department's customer service telephone lines are restricted to those beginning 0870.

Edward Vaizey: The Department's customer service telephone lines do not have any 0870 telephones numbers. The Department has 0207 geographic telephone numbers for public use.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for each of the principal access numbers operated by (a) her Department and (b) the agencies for which she is responsible, what revenue has been retained by (i) the telephone provider for that line and (ii) her Department in each of the last three years.

Hugh Robertson: DCMS does not receive any revenue from the calling of its principal access numbers. Information about our agencies is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which telephone lines are operated by (a) her Department and (b) the agencies for which she is responsible for public inquiries or other services; what the (i) principal access number and (ii) telephone service provider is for each number; and which such lines (A) are free to the caller and (B) may incur a charge to the caller.

Hugh Robertson: DCMS holds the following numbers:
	Public Enquiries. The number is 020 7211 6000 and a charge is incurred by the caller.
	Telephony Services e.g. voicemail. We cannot provide the number as it is used by staff only, but there is no charge to the caller.
	Business Continuity services. We cannot provide the number as it is used by staff only, but there is no charge to the caller.
	Information about our agency is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Tourism

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on the running of the GREAT campaign.

Hugh Robertson: DCMS Ministers and officials have discussions with their counterparts at the Northern Ireland Executive about a wide variety of subjects. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board is represented on the board of VisitBritain, who are responsible for the running of the international tourism marketing campaign, which is part of the GREAT initiative.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Association of Chief Police Officers

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grant her Department plans to allocate to the Association of Chief Police Officers in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15.

Damian Green: Home Office Grant-in-Aid funding to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) HQ ceased at the end of 2012 when the College of Policing was established.
	The Home Office will fund the National Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC) and the UK Disaster Victim Identification (UKDVI) team, both managed by ACPO. For 2013-14, the funding for NPoCC is £1,365,000, and there will also be a grant for the development of NPoCC's Mercury ICT system of £262,000. The funding for UKDVI has not yet been determined. Decisions have not been taken for 2014-15.

Communications Data Bill (Draft)

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what filtering arrangements the Government intend to propose in their revised draft Communications Bill.

James Brokenshire: The draft Communications Data Bill allowed for a request filter, which would enable authorised agencies to make a single inquiry to obtain communications data that could currently only be obtained through multiple requests to different providers. Requests through the filter will be governed by safeguards in the legislation and a programmed set of rules. We believe the filter to be a safeguard on the acquisition of communications data, as it will limit the collateral intrusion and the data not relevant to an investigation that might be returned to an investigating officer. The Joint Committee on the draft Communications Data Bill recognised these benefits, stating that:
	‘the Request Filter will speed up complex inquiries and will minimise collateral intrusion’
	(paragraph 126 of their report).
	The Government have accepted the substance of all the Joint Committee's recommendations and will bring forward a revised Bill at the earliest opportunity.

Communications Data Bill (Draft)

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she intends to take to ensure that all data held under the provisions in the revised draft Communications Bill will be protected and secure.

James Brokenshire: The Government already have a long history of working with communications service providers to ensure that communications data retained under obligation are kept safe.
	Notices issued to communications service providers to generate and retain communications data will detail specific implementation requirements on them. The providers will be required to ensure these are met so that data retained under this legislation are protected against accidental or unlawful destruction, accidental loss and unauthorised access or disclosure. Legislation will make explicit that all communications data retained by service providers under the legislation will be destroyed after the 12-month retention period (unless required for legal proceedings).
	It is the duty of the Information Commissioner to keep under review the performance of any duties placed on communications service providers relating to data security and integrity.

Criminal Records Bureau

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are employed by the Criminal Records Bureau in Cumbria; and what proportion of those staff are paid at or above the national level of the living wage.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 25 March 2013
	From 1 December 2012, the functions previously undertaken by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) have been carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
	No staff are employed by the DBS in Cumbria.

Demonstrations

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has made a public response to the concerns recently raised by the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, with regards to the use of embedded undercover police officers in groups that are non-violent and which exercise their democratic rights to protest and take peaceful direct action; and what her assessment is of those concerns.

Damian Green: The Government strongly support the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, and the UN Special Rapporteur has recognised the Government’s commitment to the right to peaceful protest, as well as UK support for this mandate.
	The use of undercover officers remains an important investigative tool for the police in preventing and detecting serious and violent crime. The issues highlighted by the Special Rapporteur have been independently reviewed by HM inspectorate of constabulary (HMIC) and we are working with the police and others to implement the recommendations made. These issues are also subject to an investigation under the leadership of Chief Constable Mick Creedon of Derbyshire police. That investigation, called Operation Herne, is being supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. It would be inappropriate to comment while that investigation is ongoing.

Entry Clearances

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people who have applied for a Tier 2 visa in the UK have been waiting more than four weeks for a decision on their application;
	(2)  what the average waiting time for Tier 2 visa applications made inside the UK was in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; and how many such applicants waited more than four weeks for a decision on their application.

Mark Harper: As of 24 January 2013 a total of 2,779 Tier 2 applications had been waiting more than four weeks for a decision.
	Tables 1 and 2 provide figures for processing times within Tier 2. We have recently committed additional resource to this area to ensure that the service standard of processing 90% of applications within four weeks is met.
	
		
			 Table 1: Average processing time (days) based on despatch date, 1 January 2010 to September 2012 
			  Despatch years: 
			  2010 2011 2012(1) 
			 Tier 2 31 32 44 
			 (1) January to September 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Tier 2 application processing times (weeks), 1 January 2010 to 30 September 2012 
			  Despatch years: 
			  2010 2011 2012(1) 
			 Processing time (weeks) 0-4 4+ 0-4 4+ 0-4 4+ 
			 Tier 2 11,765 15,021 8,590 13,011 7,278 15,992 
			 (1) January to September Notes: 1. All figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. 2. Figures relate to main applicants only. 3. Figures relate to postal and premium (i.e. submitted at public enquiry offices) applications. 4. Processing time is based on the average number of calendar days between the application raised (i.e. received) and decision despatch date.

Entry Clearances

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average waiting time for a Tier 5 visa application was in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012.

Mark Harper: holding answer 19 March 2013
	The information requested is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 Table 1: Tier 5 overseas visa application processing times (working days), January 2010 to December 2012 
			 Despatch year Average processing time (working days) 
			 2010 6 
			 2011 6 
			 2012 7 
			 Notes: 1. All figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. 2. Figures relate to individuals, main applicants and dependants. 3. Data relate to Tier 5 visa applications processed between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2012. 4. Processing time is based on the average number of working days from biometric enrolment to decision date. Figures relate to completed applications only. 5. Data generated on 15 March 2013. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Tier 5 in-country application average processing times, January 2010 to December 2012 
			  Average processing time (calendar days) 
			 Despatch year Postal applications Premium applications 
			 2010 24 1 
			 2011 46 4 
			 2012 56 8 
			 Notes: 1. All figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. 2. Figures relate to main applicants only. 3. Figures relate to postal applications and to premium applications submitted at UKBA Public Enquiry Offices (PEOs). 4. All figures relate to Tier 5 applications decided and despatched between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2012. 5. Processing time is based on the average number of calendar days from application raised (i.e. received) date to decision despatch date. Figures relate to completed applications only. 6. Premium applications submitted at Public Enquiry Offices (PEOs) are prioritised and considered on the same day where possible. However, there will always be a number of applications which do not contain all information required to allow the Agency to decide the case on the same day. In these cases, additional clarification is sought and as a consequence applications may take longer to decide. 7. Data generated on 15 March 2013. 
		
	
	The UK Border Agency had experienced higher than forecast volumes of applications across a range of in-country immigration categories and measures have been put in place, including recruiting new staff where necessary, in order to reduce delays.
	The Department aims to return to operating within the published service standards by early in the new financial year.
	The published service standard for consideration of in-country applications for leave to remain under the Tier 5 route is already being met.

Human Trafficking

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cross-Government expenditure was on combating human trafficking and modern day slavery in 2011-12; and what the estimated expenditure is for 2012-13.

Mark Harper: A number of Government Departments and agencies are involved in work to combat human trafficking. Total expenditure for this work is not recorded centrally.

Illegal Immigrants: Employment

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employers were fined for using illegal workers in each of the last five years.

Mark Harper: holding answer 5 March 2013
	The information requested is in the following table. The figures are based on the number of civil penalties served at visited business addresses.
	
		
			 Period Penalties issued to businesses 
			 29 February to 31 December 2008 1,169 
			 2009 2,269 
			 2010 2,092 
			 2011 1,424 
			 2012 1,215 
			 Note: The figures provided are sourced from a UK Border Agency management information system which is not quality assured under National Statistics protocols and is subject to change due to internal data quality checking. Figures provided from this source do not constitute part of National Statistics and should be treated as provisional. 
		
	
	The decrease in the number of businesses served with civil penalties can be explained as follows: employers' increased awareness of the regime together with improved guidance on the UK Border Agency website; and providing clear advice on how to conduct document checks to verify a person's right to work, which has contributed to an increase in employer compliance. The Agency's work in summer 2012 under Operation Mayapple targeted enforcement activity on overstayers, including students whose leave had been curtailed. This activity drives up compliance across the board. Robust debt recovery processes have been implemented, with employers becoming increasingly aware that where penalties are not paid debt recovery enforcement action will commence against them.

Immigration

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many leave to remain applications were not processed within target in quarter 4 of 2012.

Mark Harper: holding answer 26 March 2013
	The UK Border Agency publishes figures on its performance against migration service standards on a quarterly basis as part of its commitment to transparency. These data are disaggregated by quarter and work stream and cover the period from April 2010 to December 2012. The latest figures are available on the UK Border Agency website at:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/percentage-of-migration/
	Based on the published figures, a total of 73,276 in-country leave to remain applications were processed in the 4th quarter of 2012. Of these, 28,135 (38%) of applications were processed within service standards, and 45,141 (62%) were processed outside service standards.
	Measures have been put in place, including recruiting further casework staff, in order to return to operating within public service standards across all leave to remain application routes.
	Notes:
	1. The figures quoted were derived from the performance against migration service standards publication. These figures are based on management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.
	2. Figures relate to the following Temporary Migration work streams only: Family and Visiting the UK (2011-12)/Family (2012-13), Visiting the UK (2012-13), Employment, Study, and Sponsor Licensing.
	3. Figures relate to postal applications as well as premium applications submitted at UKBA Public Enquiry Offices (PEO).

Immigration: Married People

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many leave to remain cases on the basis of marriage or civil partnership were pending review in Quarter 4 of 2012.

Mark Harper: holding answer 26 March 2013
	The information requested in the format required could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Information on leave to remain marriage or civil partnership applications pending review or reconsideration is held on paper case files or in the notes section of the UK Border Agency's databases.

Immigration: Married People

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many leave to remain cases on the basis of marriage or civil partnership were pending an initial decision in Quarter 4 of 2012.

Mark Harper: holding answer 26 March 2013
	The information requested in the format required could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Immigration: Northern Ireland

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from other EU countries have been admitted to (a) work and (b) live permanently in Northern Ireland in each year since 2005.

Mark Harper: The number of EU nationals is measured only at a UK level and information is not captured on EU nationals’ intended location of stay or reason for entry.
	The Home Office publishes data on an annual basis on the total number of EU nationals admitted to the UK, broken down by year. This information can be found in table ad.01 of the admissions tables of the Immigration Statistics October to December 2012, available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q4-2012/

Immigration: Northern Ireland

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from countries outside the EU have been granted permanent residence in Northern Ireland in each year since 2005.

Mark Harper: The Home Office publishes data on an annual basis on the number of individuals granted citizenship and settlement in the UK. Although this information is not disaggregated by the applicant's address, it is broken down by year (2004 to 2011), nationality, category of grant, and in the case of citizenship the region and local authority where the citizenship ceremony was held.
	This information can be found in the Tables ‘cz.07’, ‘cz.08’, and ‘se.03’ of the release Immigration Statistics October to December 2012, available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q4-2012/

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter to her dated 6 February 2013, from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms N Ali.

Mark Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 27 March 2013.

Passports

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for travel documents are outstanding from (a) April, (b) May and (c) June 2012.

Mark Harper: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Pending Travel Document applications received, April to June 2013 
			 Month received Outstanding applications 
			 Apr-12 701 
			 May-12 1,369 
			 June-12 1,128 
			 Total 2,281 
			 Notes: 1. The figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. 2. Figures relate to travel document and biometric travel document applications raised (received) between 1 April and 30 June 2012 that remain pending. 3. Data generated on 18 March 2013. 4. Since 29 February 2012 all Travel Document applicants have had to have or simultaneously apply for a Biometric Residence permit (BRP) confirming their current immigration status. The effect of this change was to double the work load of the Travel Document Section.

Passports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people unsuccessfully applied for a UK passport between January 2011 and January 2012.

Mark Harper: The number of unsuccessful passport applicants which the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) dealt with between January 2011 and January 2012 was 21,165, of which 14,990 were withdrawn, either by IPS or by the applicant, and 6,175 were failed.

Passports: Applications

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases for applications for travel documents are outstanding.

Mark Harper: There are a total of 15,813 travel document applications outstanding. Our current service level agreement is to process 98% of applications within 70 days; we are currently achieving 52%. The average processing time is 85 days and includes those applications that are not fully compliant on receipt and further information is required before a decision can be made.
	A full breakdown of outstanding travel document applications is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Pending travel document and biometric travel document applications 
			 Year/month raised Travel document application BTD (BRP) application—enrolment complete BTD (BRP) application—awaiting enrolment Total 
			 November 1990 to December 1999 34 0 0 34 
			      
			 2000 25 0 0 25 
			 2001 88 0 0 88 
			 2002 242 0 0 242 
			 2003 100 0 0 100 
			 2004 88 0 0 88 
			 2005 31 0 0 31 
			 2006 10 0 0 10 
			 2007 12 0 0 12 
			 2008 13 0 0 13 
			 2009 8 0 0 8 
			 2010 17 0 0 17 
			 2011 39 0 0 39 
			      
		
	
	
		
			 2012     
			 January 17 0 2 19 
			 February 10 3 1' 14 
			 March 7 156 48 211 
			 April 217 390 94 701 
			 May 613 676 80 1,369 
			 June 498 604 26 1,128 
			 July 629 677 17 1,323 
			 August 601 680 8 1,289 
			 September 696 604 29 1,329 
			 October 105 209 27 341 
			 November 526 431 218 1,175 
			 December 1,053 17 604 1,674 
			      
			 2013     
			 January 1,575 25 909 2,509 
			 February 1,308 1 715 2,024 
			      
			 Total 8,562 4,473 2,778 15,813 
			 Notes: 1. The figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. 2. Figures relate to travel document and biometric travel document applications raised (received) up to at 28 February 2013 that remain pending. 3. Data generated on 18 March 2013. 4. Since 29 February 2012 all travel document applicants have had to have or simultaneously apply for a biometric residence permit(BRP) confirming their current immigration status . The effect of this change was to double the work load of the Travel Document Section.

Public Expenditure

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the estimated Resource DEL underspend in financial year 2012-13 of £700 million as set out in Table 2.5 of the Budget 2013 Red Book which service areas in her Department received reduced resources; what the amounts of resource reduction were; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: Table 2.5 of the Budget 2013 Red Book shows the difference between Budget 2012 plans and Departments’ latest estimates of their full-year position. Table 2.5 can be found on HM Treasury website at the following link:
	http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2013_complete.pdf
	In addition to forecast underspend against final plans, since Budget 2012 the Department surrendered £319 million of RDEL at supplementary estimates, of which £78.5 million was transferred through the Budget Exchange mechanism for future years, and £58.2 million was transferred to other Government Departments.
	The Department will set out its spending for the year in detail in its annual accounts in the usual way.

Recruitment

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on advertising job vacancies in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007, (d) 2008 and (e) 2009.

James Brokenshire: Information about how much the Department spent on advertising job vacancies in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007, (d) 2008 and (e) 2009 is not held centrally and is available only at disproportionate cost.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for each of the principal access numbers operated by (a) her Department and (b) the agencies for which she is responsible, what revenue has been retained by (i) the telephone provider for that line and (ii) her Department in each of the last three years.

James Brokenshire: Information on the use of these numbers by the Home Office and its agencies is set out in the following tables.
	
		
			 Home Office 
			  Number Usage 
			 (a) 0800 0 
			 (b) 0808 0 
			 (c) 0844 0 
			 (d) 0845 0 
			 (e) 0870 4 
		
	
	
		
			 UK Border Agency 
			  Number Usage 
			 (a) 0800 1 
			 (b) 0808 0 
			 (c) 0844 0 
			 (d) 0845 3 
			 (e) 0870 3 
		
	
	
		
			 Identity and Passport Service 
			  Number Usage 
			 (a) 0800 0 
			 (b) 0808 0 
			 (c) 0844 0 
			 (d) 0845 12 
			 (e) 0870 0 
		
	
	The Home Office does not have any revenue arrangements in place with any of its telephony providers and therefore does not retain any revenue.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which telephone lines are operated by (a) her Department and (b) the agencies for which she is responsible for public inquiries or other services; what the (i) principal access number and (ii) telephone service provider is for each number; and which such lines (A) are free to the caller and (B) may incur a charge to the caller.

James Brokenshire: Information on the use of these numbers by the Home Office and its agencies is set out in the following table. The principal access numbers are provided by Level 3 via Fujitsu.
	0800 numbers are listed as freephone numbers. The cost of the call, providing it is made from a landline, falls to the owner and no charge is made to the caller. However a charge is applied to calls made from mobile phones.
	0844, 0845 and 0870 are all chargeable to the caller. Some can be wrapped up in inclusive call packages for landlines but are almost never included in mobile packages.
	The Home Office does not have any revenue arrangements in place with any of its telephony providers and therefore does not retain any revenue.
	
		
			  Number  
			 Home Office   
			 (a) 0800 0 
			 (b) 0808 0 
			 (c) 0844 0 
			 (d) 0845 0 
			 (e) 0870 4 
			    
			 UK Border Agency   
			 (a) 0800 1 
			 (b) 0808 0 
			 (c) 0844 0 
			 (d) 0845 3 
			 (e) 0870 3 
			    
			 Identity and Passport Service   
			 (a) 0800 0 
			 (b) 0808 0 
			 (c) 0844 0 
			 (d) 0845 12 
			 (e) 0870 0

Tourists: Passenger Ships

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the security risk posed by cruise ship day visitors to the UK.

Mark Harper: Border Force carries out strategic risk assessments of the cruise ship sector, the findings of which feed into reviews of the Border Operating Mandate.

UK Border Agency

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK Border Agency employees worked on preventing the importation of (a) controlled drugs, (b) illegal firearms and (c) illicit (i) alcohol and (ii) tobacco in each year since 2010-11; and if she will make a statement.

Mark Harper: In 2011-12 Border Force employed an average of 7,163 staff (FTE) in operational roles. That includes work on preventing the importation of controlled drugs, illegal firearms and illicit alcohol and tobacco.

Vetting

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals were placed on the (a) children’s and (b) adults’ barred list between 1 January and 31 December 2012 for reasons of (i) sexual offences, (ii) physical abuse, (iii) psychological or emotional abuse and (iv) neglect; and how many referrals in each category were from regulated activities as defined by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 25 March 2013
	The total number of individuals placed on one or both of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) barred lists between 1 January and 31 December 2012 was 5,675. Of these, 5,358 were placed on the children’s list and 5,107 were placed on the adults list.
	Discretionary cases are categorised by type of harm. The following table provides the information that is held and available for the period 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012. Data for Autobar cases cannot be provided because they are not categorised in this way.
	
		
			  Barred list  
			 Harm type Adults Children’s Total 
			 Financial 266 2 268 
			 Sexual 33 76 109 
			 Physical 19 7 26 
			 Neglect 18 7 25 
			 Verbal 7 0 7 
			 Emotional 1 0 1 
			 Other 5 3 8 
			 Total 349 95 444 
		
	
	Data on the number of individuals from regulated activity are not available, because the scope and definition of regulated activity was amended from 10 September 2012. People barred before this date may not fall within the definition of regulated activity.

Vetting

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many referrals received by the Disclosure and Barring Service between 1 January and 31 December 2012 indicating offences of criminal activity with a child did not have a corresponding notification returned to the Disclosure and Barring Service from the relevant police force indicating receipt of a complaint for the alleged offence.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 25 March 2013
	The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) does request notifications from police forces in relation to referrals it has received. Information on notifications received is held within each case file, therefore providing the answer to the question would incur disproportionate cost.

Vetting

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were placed on (a) either the children’s and the adults’ barred list and (b) the discretionary barred list between 1 January and 31 December 2012.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 25 March 2013
	The total number of individuals placed on one or both of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) barred lists between 1 January and 31 December 2012 was 5,675. Of these, 4,790 were placed on both lists.
	There is not a separate discretionary barred list.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Disability Living Allowance

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled people in receipt of disability living allowance who have an indefinite or lifetime award have been re-assessed in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Esther McVey: The Department does not collect data on the number of disability living allowance indefinite award claimants who have had their entitlement reviewed. Claimants in receipt of DLA indefinite awards would have their entitlement reviewed if they reported a change in their care or mobility needs, or if they were selected as part of the Right Payment Programme.

Employment and Support Allowance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to assist people with moderate to mild learning difficulties access support when completing the forms and medical questionnaires for employment and support allowance.

Mark Hoban: Training and guidance is provided for DWP staff who have contact with claimants to identify those who may be potentially vulnerable, including people with learning difficulties. This also supports staff to establish any additional support that can be provided in completing forms. For example, where it is clear that dealing with a claim or change by telephone is not suitable, arrangements can be made for face to face contact at a Jobcentre so that a form can be completed. In some circumstances a visit may be considered for the most vulnerable claimants.
	Employment and support allowance claim and review forms include general information about how to get help when completing the form. This includes information about asking friends, relatives or organisations for help, asking someone else to make the claim on behalf of the claimant, and how to contact Jobcentre Plus to get help.
	The work capability assessment questionnaire can be completed with the help of a relative, friend or representative. Contact details are provided if the claimant wants help from Jobcentre Plus. This includes helping the claimant to complete the questionnaire by using the transcription service. This service is available on request and can be done by phone, at the Jobcentre, or on a visit for the most vulnerable customers.

Employment: Learning Disability

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what additional support is given by his Department to those adults with moderate to mild learning difficulties when searching for employment.

Mark Hoban: DWP Jobcentre Plus advisers focus on providing a personalised, flexible service. This approach recognises that individuals may have conditions or circumstances that require different levels of support. They will discuss with the claimant how significantly they are affected by their disability in relation to employment. They will also help the individual to agree job goals and the best way forward into employment, which may include whichever ‘Get Britain Working’ measures are offered locally, or referral to contracted programmes, such as the Work programme or other non-contracted provision, if appropriate.
	Anyone who requires more specialist help because of their disability will be able to see a disability employment adviser, who can identify suitable job opportunities, while acting as an advocate for the individual in approaches made to potential employers. The disability employment adviser will also aim to identify work solutions, overcoming or minimising any difficulties, relating to a claimant's disability in the work place. If they are having difficulty in identifying work solutions, they will seek help from a DWP work psychologist. They will also be aware of appropriate local support organisations, where they are available.
	Disability employment advisers are also able to refer claimants to the Work programme. However, the Work programme may not always be the best option for all disabled customers. Work Choice and Residential Training sit alongside the Work programme, helping disabled people who face the most complex employment barriers to finding and staying in employment.
	When the individual finds a job, the disability employment adviser can signpost them to Access to Work, a specialist disability service, which is delivered by Jobcentre Plus, providing practical advice and support to disabled people and their employers, helping them overcome work-related obstacles resulting from disability.

Habitual Residence Test

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when his review of the habitual residence test will be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The review of the habitual residence test will be completed by the end of this year.

Housing Benefit: Greater London

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what level of discretionary housing payment will be made available to each local authority in London in 2013-14.

Steve Webb: The following table shows the initial level of discretionary housing payments allocated to local authorities in London. The Government originally allocated £5 million to the Discretionary Housing Payment scheme towards the cost of foster carers. As legislation has now been amended to cover the cost of allowing foster carers an additional room, if appropriate, this £5 million will no longer be required by local authorities to assist this group. Revised allocations of discretionary housing payments to local authorities will be made available soon.
	
		
			  £ 
			 Barking and Dagenham 1,310,802 
			 Barnet 1,998,661 
			 Bexley 533,858 
			 Brent 4,815,410 
			 Bromley 700,174 
			 City of London 36,373 
			 Camden 1,680,807 
			 Croydon 1,791,425 
			 Ealing 3,127,358 
			 Enfield 3,246,226 
			 Greenwich 1,136,207 
			 Hackney 2,324,080 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,488,830 
			 Haringey 2,422,505 
			 Harrow 1,223,994 
			 Havering 582,761 
			 Hillingdon 1,245,418 
			 Islington 1,628,508 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 2,263,207 
			 Lambeth 1,544,093 
			 Lewisham 1,666,074 
			 Hounslow 1,117,181 
			 Kingston upon Thames 426,956 
			 Merton 641,766 
			 Newham 2,472,896 
			 Redbridge 1,620,804 
			 Richmond upon Thames 406,202 
			 Southwark 1,119,665 
			 Sutton 454,861 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,237,330 
			 Waltham Forest 1,517,954 
			 Wandsworth 1,839,423 
			 Westminster 5,930,283

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to provide exemptions from housing benefit entitlement reductions on the basis of under-occupancy for registered carers who are unable to share a bedroom with their partner or spouse because of a medical condition.

Steve Webb: An extra £25 million has been allocated to the £20 million baseline discretionary housing payment funding to specifically help those who live in specially adapted homes. The baseline funding is however available for other priority groups, including those with long-term medical conditions that may create difficulties for those who would normally be expected to share a bedroom.
	People living in social housing will be able to claim housing benefit for an extra bedroom if their disabilities are such that they require a non-resident carer (or team of carers) to stay overnight.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to provide exemptions from housing benefit entitlement reductions on the basis of under-occupancy to people who are registered as disabled or with a defined medical condition, with an additional room in their property which is used exclusively for the treatment of their condition and where storage of medical equipment precludes the use of the room as a bedroom.

Steve Webb: An extra £25 million has been allocated to the £20 million baseline discretionary housing payment funding to specifically help those who live in specially adapted homes. The baseline funding is however available for other priority groups, including those with long-term medical conditions that may create difficulties for those who would normally be expected to share a bedroom.
	People living in social housing will be able to claim housing benefit for an extra bedroom if their disabilities are such that they require a non-resident carer (or team of carers) to stay overnight.

Pensioners: Poverty

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the number of pensioners in poverty in (a) Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to reduce the number of pensioners in poverty in (a) Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK.

Steve Webb: The number of pensioners in households with income, after housing costs, below 60% of the median is published in Table 6.4 db on page 219 of the Households Below Average Income report, available here:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbai/hbai2011/pdf_files/full_hbai12.pdf
	It is not possible to provide estimates of poverty at a constituency level due to insufficient sample size.
	Pensioner wellbeing is a priority for the Government. The triple lock policy ensures that the basic state pension will go up by the highest of earnings, prices or 2.5%. Our latest estimates are that the average person reaching state pension age in 2013 can expect to receive an additional £12,000 in basic state pension over their retirement than under previous policies of uprating by prices. We have protected key benefits for older people including free eye tests, free prescription charges, free off peak bus travel, free television licences for those aged over 75 and winter fuel payments.
	We are reforming the welfare system to improve work and saving incentives, and provide more effective support to those out of work. We have abolished the default retirement age, meaning most people can now retire when the time is right for them, enabling people to work and save for longer. Furthermore, our plans for the single-tier pension, and for automatic enrolment into workplace pensions, will provide clarity and confidence to better support saving for retirement for today's working age population and make the default decision a decision to save.

Personal Independence Payment

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2013, Official Report, column 751W, on personal independence payment, if he will estimate the potential number of personal independence claimants who do not have a landline telephone in (a) Glasgow North West constituency, (b) Glasgow, (c) Scotland and (d) the UK.

Esther McVey: The Department has no plans to estimate the number of potential claimants to personal independence payment who do not have a landline.
	We will offer freephone lines for people to make a personal independence payment claim. Calls to the 0800 numbers are free from BT land lines and most mobiles and will only take a short time. We can call claimants back on request.

Public Expenditure

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the estimated Resource DEL underspend in financial year 2012-13 of £700 million as set out in Table 2.5 of the Budget 2013 Red Book which service areas in his Department received reduced resources; what the amounts of resource reduction were; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: Table 2.5 of the Budget 2013 Red Book shows the difference between Budget 2012 plans and Departments’ latest estimates of their full-year position as at February. The Department will set out in more detail its final spending for the year in its annual accounts in the usual way.
	In addition to forecast underspend against final plans, since Budget 2012 the Department surrendered £389.447 million of RDEL at supplementary estimates and switched £120,513 million from its resource budget to the capital budget. It has also transferred £13.533 million to other Government Departments. Furthermore it received no reserve claims at supplementary estimates.

Social Security Benefits

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support he is providing to the four local authorities selected for the initial implementation of the benefit cap; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The benefit cap project team are working closely with the four local authorities involved in phased rollout to support the implementation of the cap.
	A senior Jobcentre Plus Account Manager has been appointed in each of the four London boroughs to co-ordinate local engagement and support, supported by an Implementation Manager working with the four local authorities and DWP benefit cap project team members.
	Jobcentre Plus staff have also been co-located in local authority premises to assist households likely to be impacted by the cap and ensure they have access to a wide range of support.
	In line with the commitments we have made previously to support phased rollout, DWP has also agreed additional funding of over £2 million to be paid to the four local authorities. This funding takes account of the additional resources they are deploying to successfully implement the benefit cap in April as part of the phased rollout approach.

Staff

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on redundancies by his Department of people resident in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the UK; how many such people have since been rehired elsewhere in his Department; and how many temporary posts have been created by his Department since May 2010.

Mark Hoban: Prior to a civil service role ending employees are given the opportunity for redeployment before a paid exit is considered.
	The following table provides the information requested for spend on redundancies in Scotland and the rest of the UK since May 2010. This includes compensation paid through the use of voluntary exit schemes, voluntary redundancy and compulsory redundancy schemes.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Scotland Other UK Total 
			 Voluntary exit 3,456,120 75,420,848 78,876,968 
			 Voluntary redundancy 505,856 6,396,496 6,903,352 
			 Compulsory redundancy 19,903 208,653 228,556 
			 Total 3,982,879 82,025,997 86,008,876 
		
	
	Three people have been rehired after leaving the DWP on exit/redundancy terms. None of the individuals rehired were in Scotland.
	The following table provides the information requested for numbers of temporary roles in DWP since May 2010:
	
		
			  Scotland Other UK Total 
			 Temporary posts 318 2,258 2,576

Universal Credit

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2013, Official Report, column 1001W, on universal credit, if he will provide an update to the House when his Department has the final funding instrument in place for services to be provided under the UC Framework for Local Support Services.

Mark Hoban: We are still working through the details of the final funding instrument for services to be provided under the framework but are hoping to have this agreed between DWP and the local authorities associations over the next few months.

Universal Credit

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to encourage providers of budgeting or jamjar bank accounts and other card products related to the introduction of universal credit to design their products in such a way as to facilitate and encourage the accumulation of savings.

Mark Hoban: We are working closely with banking and financial product providers to ensure that suitable financial products are available for universal credit claimants. By helping claimants manage money more effectively, we will create the conditions within which claimants can make and act on decisions about their longer term finances.

Work Capability Assessment

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department monitors the status of individual claimants who are found fit for work following a workplace capability assessment, are subsequently unable to claim employment and support allowance, but then do not go on to claim jobseekers' allowance.

Mark Hoban: The Department does not routinely collect information on people once they have left benefit.

Work Capability Assessment

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of employment and support allowance experiencing mental ill health have been placed in the support group in each year since the workplace capability assessment was introduced.

Mark Hoban: The following table shows, for new employment and support allowance (ESA) claims, the number of claimants placed in the support group at initial work capability assessments (WCAs) carried out between October 2008 and August 2012 (the latest data available), whose primary condition is a mental health condition, by the year that the WCA was completed. This does not include claimants who may be experiencing some form of mental ill health but have a physical primary health condition as data are only available on the primary health condition of a claimant at the start of their claim.
	
		
			 Number of claimants placed in the support group at initial WCAs carried out between October 2008 and August 2012 with a primary mental health condition, by the year that the WCA was completed 
			 WCA completion date Mental health: support group outcomes 
			 October 2008 to December 2008 (1)— 
			 January 2009 to December 2009 7,700 
			 January 2010 to December 2010 13,000 
			 January 2011 to December 2011 26,500 
			 January 2012 to August 2012 29,700 
			 To date 77,000 
			 (1) Indicates a nil or negligible value. Note: Rounding: All volumes are rounded to the nearest 100. Hence total does not sum exactly. Source: Department for Work and Pensions benefit administration datasets.

Work Capability Assessment

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training mental function champions offer healthcare professionals regarding workplace capability assessments; and how often any such training takes place.

Mark Hoban: Mental function champions do not provide formal training. The role requires them to promote awareness on mental health topics and provide ad hoc advice to their health care professional colleagues when required. They are always available by phone to offer advice to all health care professionals and as part of their role, regularly visit other centres to promote best practice and spread current learning and knowledge. Additionally, they input into continuous medical education (CME) in relation to mental health.

Work Capability Assessment

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what performance measures are in place to evaluate the effectiveness of mental function champions on workplace capability assessments;
	(2)  what data his Department collects, maintains and holds on the performance of mental function champions.

Mark Hoban: All Atos healthcare professionals are fully trained and approved to assess people with mental health conditions. Professor Harrington recommended that Atos Healthcare introduced champions in mental, intellectual and cognitive disabilities, who have undergone further specific training in these conditions and are able to spread best practice and knowledge, and help other Atos Healthcare professionals with difficult assessments involving mental, intellectual or cognitive disabilities. In this role mental function champions will assist and advise colleagues on how to deal with any aspect of a case involving mental function or learning disability.
	There are no formal performance measures around the role of the mental function champion and no separate data are held on the specific performance of mental function champions but routine monitoring of the quality of assessments and customer satisfaction takes place as part of the contractual arrangements between DWP and Atos Healthcare. In addition, Professor Harrington's second review noted that the mental function champion role is being well-utilised and that health care professionals have welcomed the advice and support.

Work Programme: North East

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the performance of (a) Igneus and (b) Avanta under the Work programme contracts for the North East of England.

Mark Hoban: Performance information for all Work programme providers including Ingeus and Avanta was published on 27 November 2012 and can be accessed via the following link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wp
	The next release of Work programme statistics will be in May 2013.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Green Belt

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what planning guidance his Department issues to local authorities in relation to the conversion of existing buildings into residential dwellings situated in green-belt land.

Nicholas Boles: A planning application for change of use of an existing building in green belt to a dwelling should be assessed in the light of all material considerations, including green belt policy in the national planning policy framework. This says that reuse of permanent, substantial buildings in green belt may not be inappropriate if the development preserves the green belt’s openness and does not conflict with the purposes of the designation. This is intended to allow redundant and empty buildings to be brought back into productive use, increasing rural housing for local people and promoting regeneration. The Government recently announced at Budget their intention to consult on allowing further flexibilities between use classes to support change of use from certain agricultural and retail uses to residential use.

Homelessness

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of all homelessness (a) applications and (b) acceptances were from black, Asian and minority ethnic households in (i) 2001-02 and (ii) 2011-12 in each English region.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 25 February 2013
	As I indicated in my answer to the hon. Member on 25 February 2013, Official Report, column 76W, the Department does not collect information on numbers of homelessness applications. Although it collects figures on the numbers of decisions, which are closely related to numbers of applications, they are not broken down by ethnic group.
	My Department does, however, collect information on the numbers of homelessness acceptances broken down by ethnic group. As outlined in the written ministerial statement of 18 September 2012, Official Report, column 32WS, my Department no longer publishes statistics by Government office region.
	Nevertheless, regional totals for 2011-12 are included within Live Table 784 at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness
	No published regional figures are available for 2001-02, but I have placed a table in the Library of the House that sets out the figures reported by individual local authorities.

Housing: Taxation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what account officials of his Department are taking of the level set for the affordable housing levy in determining the proposed level for the community infrastructure levy.

Nicholas Boles: Community infrastructure levy rates are proposed locally based on local economic viability and evidence, and are subject to public consultation and independent examination before they can be adopted.
	The Government published revised statutory guidance on the community infrastructure levy in December 2012 which included guidance on the rate setting process for the levy and the interaction between the levy and section 106 agreements, to provide clarity and help prevent any double charging. The guidance is clear that proposed levy rates need to take account of policies on section 106 planning obligations, including those relating to affordable housing. This was a crucial matter recently at an independent examination of the Mid Devon draft levy charging schedule, where the proposed levy rates were rejected due to inconsistencies over affordable housing figures.

Housing: Taxation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what definition his Department uses for determining self-build housing under the community infrastructure and affordable housing levies.

Nicholas Boles: Section 106 and community infrastructure levy legislation, regulations and guidance do not currently distinguish between self-build and other forms of housing. But we are currently reviewing what further steps can be taken to ensure that self-build and genuine small-scale development is not adversely affected by the introduction of the levy.

Local Government: Surveillance

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many cases where his Department believes that a local authority has broken the law relating to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 have been referred to the police in the last five years;
	(2)  how many prosecutions there have been of local authorities who have used private investigators without authorisation from a magistrate in breach of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in the last five years.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 25 March 2013
	Since their introduction under the last Administration, there has been significant public concern about the abuse and over-use of surveillance powers by local authorities under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
	Reflecting commitments made in the coalition agreement, further to the passage of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, local authorities are now required to obtain judicial approval before using covert surveillance in connection with their public enforcement responsibilities. In addition, local authority use of directed surveillance is now limited to the investigation of criminal offences which attract a maximum six month or more custodial sentence, or of a criminal offence relating to the underage sale of alcohol and tobacco.
	Guidance to local authorities on the new regime is published by the Home Office and is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/counter-terrorism/ripa-forms/local-authority-ripa-guidance/
	My Department does not collate statistics on the local authority use of covert surveillance. However, broad trends are given each year in the Chief Surveillance Commissioner's independent report which is laid in Parliament and which is available in the Library of the House.
	As the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), recently commented in response to the recent research by Big Brother Watch, it is totally unacceptable if councils are trying to sidestep these important new checks and they should be held to account for acting outside the law.

Pedestrian Areas

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will clarify the advice issued in the guiding document by his Department for streets stating that there should not be footpaths in future residential developments; and if he will make a statement.

Nicholas Boles: My hon. Friend may be referring to ‘Manual for Streets’ published by the last Administration in 2007.
	The document states:
	“Highway authorities would be expected to adopt street layouts complying with their Design Guide which have been constructed in accordance with the highway authority's specification of works. They would normally be expected to adopt: residential streets, combined footways and cycle tracks; footways adjacent to carriageways and main footpaths serving residential areas” (para 11.8.6).
	However, the document is in need of review as it is a reflection of the last Government's planning policies, and its advice (such as on parking and density) is now out of date in many areas.

Regional Planning and Development: West Midlands

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy will be abolished; and if he will make a statement.

Nicholas Boles: I am pleased to report that the Government announced their decision to revoke the regional strategy for the west midlands, alongside the regional strategies for the north-west and south-west in the written ministerial statement of 27 March 2013, Official Report, columns 109-10WS.
	Subject to parliamentary ratification, this paves the way to complete the abolition of every regional strategy in England, fulfilling our coalition agreement commitment to return decision-making powers on planning and housing to local councils.
	Orders to revoke these three regional strategies will be laid in Parliament after the Easter recess.

Right to Buy Scheme: Greater London

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 20 March 2013, how many people in London will benefit from the announced changes to the Right to buy scheme.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 25 March 2013
	Right to buy is a demand-led scheme but the announced changes are designed to ensure that those tenants who do wish to take up their right to buy their home are not prevented from doing so by artificial barriers. All eligible social tenants in London are able to benefit from the increase in the maximum cash discount to £100,000, where applicable. They will also benefit from our proposal to reduce the eligibility threshold period from five years to three. We will legislate for this change as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Senior Civil Servants

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2013, Official Report, columns 278-79W, on senior civil servants, how much his Department spent on employing senior staff in each year since 2010.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 15 January 2013
	Further to the steps that my Department has taken, as I outlined to the hon. Member in my answer to him of 9 January 2013, Official Report, columns 278-79W, the Department’s senior pay bill has fallen by 26% in cash terms since 2008-09.
	
		
			 Senior civil service payroll 
			  £ million 
			 2008-09 14.4 
			 2009-10 13.9 
			 2010-11 12.8 
			 2011-12 10.7 
		
	
	This illustrates the scope for sensible savings in the public sector.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has made an estimate of the number of illegal Travellers' sites in the UK.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 11 February 2013
	My Department collects data on the number of unauthorised caravans in England. These include those on unauthorised developments (on land owned by Travellers) and those on unauthorised encampments (on land not owned by the Travellers).
	The following table shows the recorded counts on both types, in July 2000 (coinciding with the introduction of the Human Rights Act), following the 2010 general election and the most recent figures.
	
		
			 Caravans on unauthorised sites 
			  On unauthorised developments On unauthorised encampments 
			 July 2000 803 2,513 
			 July 2010 2,199 1,437 
			 July 2012 1,792 1,366 
		
	
	This illustrates that unauthorised developments increased significantly following the introduction of the Human Rights Act. There has been widespread public concern about the planning regime been sidelined.
	The number of unauthorised caravans has fallen in the last two years. However, we believe that further action is needed to ensure fair play in the planning system.
	The Localism Act 2011 has given councils stronger powers to tackle the abuse of retrospective planning permission, and last August my Department published clear guidance to councils on the range of legal powers they have to tackle unauthorised sites. My Department has also been consulting on giving councils stronger powers to use Temporary Stop Notices to tackle such unauthorised sites.

JUSTICE

Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the cost to the prison system of incarcerating (a) Chris Huhne and (b) Vicky Pryce.

Jeremy Wright: We are unable to provide costs for individual prisoners.
	Average annual costs per prisoner and costs per prison place, based on actual net resource expenditure, are published on the Justice website at the following location:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/prisons-and-probation/prison-probation-performance-info
	In addition, average prisoner costs are published for each prison establishment and grouped by prison function on the basis of the major use of each prison. The calculations do not analyse costs by type of sentence or prisoner, and a prisoner may be held in establishments of different functions during the course of their sentence.
	Costs for 2012-13 will be published later in the year after the publication of the NOMS annual report and accounts.

Crime Prevention: Wales

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which organisations in the South Wales police force area received funds from the Youth Justice Board effective practice grant in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2011-12; and how much each such organisation received in each such year.

Jeremy Wright: Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) are multi-agency partnerships funded primarily by the local authority and local statutory partners, including the police, probation, health authorities and where relevant the Welsh Assembly Government. The Ministry of Justice contributes funding through the Youth Justice Board (YJB) in the form of youth justice good practice grants provided to each YOT for the purpose of effective practice.
	The following table has been provided by the YJB and relates to the funding provided under the youth justice good practice grant for the seven Youth Offending Teams in the South Wales police force area for 2011-12 and 2012-13.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Youth Offending Team in South Wales 2011-12: YJB youth justice good practice grant per YOT 2012-13: YJB youth justice good practice grant per YOT 
			 Bridgend 322,123.00 304,209 
			 Cardiff 800,149.00 755,651 
			 Merthyr Tydfil 354,352.00 334,646 
			 Neath Port Talbot 362,724.00 342,552 
			 Rhondda Cynon Taff 654,597.00 618,194 
			 Swansea 639,995.00 604,404 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 238,407.00 225,149 
			 Total 3,372,347.00 3,184,805.00

Cycling: Pedestrian Areas

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were convicted under section 72 of the Highways Act 1835 for riding a bicycle on the pavement in England and Wales in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012.

Jeremy Wright: The number of offenders found guilty at all courts for the offence of riding a pedal cycle on a footpath, in England and Wales, from 2010 to 2011 (latest available), can be viewed in the table.
	Court proceedings data for 2012 are planned for publication in May 2013.
	The offence is more commonly dealt with by the police and police community support officers issuing a fixed penalty notice.
	
		
			 Offenders found guilty at all courts for the offence of riding a pedal cycle on a footpath(1), England and Wales, 2010-11(2,3) 
			  2010 2011 
			 Pedal cycles—riding on footpath 288 314 
			 (1) An offence under section 72 of the Highway Act 1835. (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice

Knives: Crime

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what proportion of those repeat offenders charged or cautioned for the possession of a knife or an offensive weapon and who received non-custodial sentences in 2012 were juveniles;
	(2)  what proportion of those repeat offenders charged or cautioned for the possession of a knife or an offensive weapon in 2012 were juveniles.

Jeremy Wright: We are clear that cautions are not generally suitable for serious offences or those involving possession of a knife. In most circumstances, such offenders should be prosecuted and we are currently reviewing the use of cautions more generally.
	The following tables show that the number of juveniles receiving a further conviction or caution for these offences is at its lowest level for at least five years. Table 1 shows the number and proportion of juvenile offenders receiving a non-custodial sentence for possession of a knife or offensive weapon in England and Wales, who had already received a previous conviction or caution for these offences for the period 2008-12.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number and proportion of juvenile offenders sentenced to a non-custodial sentence for possession of a knife or an offensive weapon possession in England and Wales who had already received a conviction or caution for these offences, 2008-12 
			  All offenders(all ages) Juvenile (ages 10-17) Juvenile proportion (%) of all offenders 
			 2008 3,371 428 13 
			 2009 3,023 319 11 
		
	
	
		
			 2010 2,613 299 11 
			 2011 2,677 309 12 
			 2012 2,807 258 9 
			 Source: Ministry of Justice 
		
	
	Table 2 shows the number and proportion of juvenile offenders convicted or cautioned for possession of a knife or an offensive weapon in England and Wales, who had already received a previous conviction or caution for these offences, 2008-12.
	
		
			 Table 2: Number and proportion of Juvenile offenders convicted or cautioned for possession of a knife or an offensive weapon in England and Wales, who had already received a previous conviction or caution for these offences, 2008-12 
			  All offenders (all ages) Juvenile (ages 10-17) Juvenile proportion (%) of all offenders 
			 2008 5,724 571 10 
			 2009 5,232 443 8 
			 2010 4,496 404 9 
			 2011 4,860 446 9 
			 2012 4,356 338 8 
			 Source: Ministry of Justice 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	The data are based on sentenced occasions and not sentenced individuals which means an individual may appear more than once in each year in the data.

Legal Aid Scheme

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the savings to accrue to his Department's budget as a result of changes to eligibility for legal aid in 2013-14.

Jeremy Wright: At around £2 billion per year we have one of the most expensive legal aid systems in the world. While it is absolutely right that legal aid is provided to those who most need it, going to court is not always the right answer. We estimate that the savings accrued from the reduction in scope of civil legal aid, as a result of implementation of the reforms in part 1 of Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, will total £100 million in 2013-14. We will still be spending approximately £1.7 billion a year on legal aid after the savings from these reforms have reached a steady state.

Prisoners: Basic Skills

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to ensure that all prisoners in need of literacy and numeracy skills acquire such skills before leaving prison.

Jeremy Wright: Prisoners receive a basic screen for literacy and numeracy needs during prison induction. Where a need is identified they will be referred to the learning and skills provider for a fuller assessment and offered teaching and support as a matter of priority. This can take place in classrooms, through peer mentoring, in libraries, at work and during other prison activities.

Prisoners: Clothing

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost was of prison-issued clothing per inmate in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the total cost was for all prison inmates in each of the last five years.

Jeremy Wright: For the 11-month period between 1 April 2012 and 28 February 2013, the latest period for which figures are available, the total value of general items of prison uniform clothing and footwear issued to public sector prisons in England and Wales was approximately £3 million.
	There are no summary cost data available for previous periods and data on a per-prisoner basis are not held, but information held does suggest that the usage of general items of prison uniform clothing and footwear has reduced by between 20% and 30% over the last five years(1).
	(1) Approximately—the product range does vary across the years.

Prisons: Food

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many prisoners have been affected by the supply of contaminated halal meat to prisons;
	(2)  with reference to the identification of contaminated halal meat in prison food, whether he is investigating the possible contamination of the supply of other religious foods to the Prison Service;
	(3)  whether the company which supplied contaminated halal meat to prisons knows for how long such contamination has been occurring;
	(4)  which prisons have received contaminated halal meat;
	(5)  whether any halal food supplied to prisons other than pasties and pies has been contaminated.

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and its contracted food supplier cannot confirm how many prisoners may have received the contaminated halal beef pastry products from the batches that tested positive for traces of porcine DNA. There is no evidence that any of the halal beef pastry products other than in those batches tested were contaminated.
	Following the Food Safety Authority of Ireland's announcement of the discovery of horse DNA traces within consumer beef products the MOJ instigated a product review through its primary supplier. This led to the testing of a small number of halal beef pastry products which were immediately quarantined. The initial result of these qualitative tests confirmed the presence of porcine DNA within some batch samples of halal beef pies, pasties and sausage rolls.
	The MOJ, working with the National Offender Management Service, commissioned through its contracted supplier further testing of additional products to ascertain any further contamination. Any additional tests are to ensure the complete integrity across the MOJ product range to enable it to meet the religious needs of all prisoners.
	The MOJ only purchases halal food products from suppliers that are certified by halal certification authorities and in the case of the contaminated food the Halal Food Authority. Once aware of a potential risk of contamination in its supply chain, the MOJ responded rapidly and robustly by immediately quarantining the products identified and instructing its supplier to perform precautionary tests. The MOJ also instructed its contracted food supplier to stop supply of products from the sub-contractor responsible for supplying the halal products at issue and to remove those products from the supply chain to the Prison Service.
	The current contracts for the provision of food to prisons began in October 2012. The first known halal beef products contaminated with pork were supplied to prisons in England and Wales in October 2012, with the last delivery made in January 2013. The MOJ was first made aware of the contamination on 18 January and the products were immediately quarantined. 95 prisons have received halal savoury products from the range of potentially contaminated products via the national food contract.
	These products were produced in batches. However, it has not yet been confirmed how many batches were produced between the period October 2012 and January 2013 and of these which batches were contaminated and subsequently supplied into prisons.
	Until this information is known, the MOJ cannot confirm the number of prison sites which may have been affected. The information available to the MOJ from our supplier will not determine which sites actually received contaminated products with complete certainty as the goods will have been consumed and the packaging discarded.
	During its initial investigation of halal beef pastry products the MOJ quarantined beef pies, pasties and sausage rolls. Initial test results identified porcine DNA contamination in halal beef pies and pasties and it was later identified in sausage rolls. These were all quarantined immediately following the review and remained in quarantine until receipt and analysis of test results.
	The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), has instructed that further random testing take place. 33 products were tested and three tested positive for turkey contamination. Of the three positive tests, two were halal.
	Once the results of the turkey contamination were received by NOMS/MOJ, immediate action was taken to quarantine the products to prevent further usage within prisons.
	Our supplier has given categorical assurance that the very low level of turkey contamination is from halal turkey and from an appropriately certificated halal processing plant.
	Concurrently, NOMS/MOJ are carrying out independent testing on two minced beef products (one halal, one non-halal) to test for the presence of horsemeat following an alert by 3663 on 8 March. These products have already been quarantined and will not re-enter the supply chain. The test results are due in early April.

Reoffenders

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offences were committed by people who had previously received sentences of (a) less than 12 months, (b) up to two years, (c) between two and four years and (d) more than four years in the last year for which figures are available.

Jeremy Wright: It is not possible to accurately count the number of offences committed by offenders who have previously received a custodial sentence as not all offences are reported to the police and result in an offender being sanctioned. The following figures are therefore based on the number of cautions or convictions given to these offenders over the last year.
	The number of convictions and cautions given to offenders in England and Wales in the 12-month period July 2011 to June 2012 who had previously received various custodial sentence lengths are:
	(a) 222,993 convictions/cautions were given to offenders who had previously received a custodial sentence of ‘less than 12 months’.
	(b) 237,255 convictions/cautions were given to offenders who had previously received a custodial sentence of ‘up to two years’. Includes offences in part (a) above.
	(c) 61,974 convictions/cautions were given to offenders who had previously received a custodial sentence ‘between two and four years’.
	(d) 24,755 convictions/cautions were given to offenders who had previously received a custodial sentence of ‘more than four years’.
	These figures have been drawn from the police’s administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	It should be noted that there are some overlaps between the figures presented as some offenders have received previous custodial sentences in more than one custodial sentence length group.

Road Traffic Offences

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress has been made with his Department’s plan to conduct a review of how the criminal justice system operates when people are injured or killed on the road; and what liaison his Department has conducted with the Department for Transport on setting up a cross-stakeholder group in respect of that review.

Jeremy Wright: A range of offences with severe maximum penalties are in place for those who cause death or serious injury on the roads through bad driving. On 3 December 2012, the Government introduced a new offence of causing serious injury through dangerous driving punishable by a maximum of five years imprisonment. The Ministry of Justice is not planning a review of how the criminal justice system operates when people are killed or injured on the roads. We do of course closely monitor how offences and penalties work in practice, and as part of that, we maintain dialogue with other Government Departments and we engage with stakeholders to help us understand their concerns; in this context, officials are involved in the Department for Transport-led ‘justice for vulnerable road users’ forum, which met for the first time at the end of February. The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), has asked the Sentencing Council to review the sentencing guideline for death by driving.

Trials: Vulnerable Adults

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what his Department's policy is on ensuring access to a fair trial for vulnerable defendants and people with communication difficulties, learning disabilities and mental health problems;
	(2)  what steps courts take to identify vulnerable defendants in order to provide measures to meet their support needs;
	(3)  if he will estimate the average number of trials per year in England and Wales where the defendant has a learning disability;
	(4)  if he will publish the evidence available to his Department on the extent to which the system of discretionary measures provided by the courts to meet the needs of vulnerable defendants ensures that all such defendants receive a fair trial.

Helen Grant: The Government are committed to ensuring that all defendants receive a fair trial, and a variety of measures are available to courts to secure this basic right for vulnerable defendants. There is no evidence to suggest that the available measures, which include giving evidence by live link and, where necessary, the assistance of an intermediary, fail to achieve that objective. Courts have a responsibility to check throughout a case that the defendant understands what is going on. Vulnerable defendants should always be represented, as one of the criteria in the Interests of Justice test is that the defendant may not otherwise be able to understand the court proceedings. It is generally through the defence that courts are alerted to the fact that a defendant may be vulnerable and may need support.
	The Ministry of Justice does not record centrally the number of cases in which the defendant has a learning disability.

TREASURY

Children: Day Care

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the written ministerial statement of 19 March 2013, Official Report, columns 37-38WS, on child care, if he will estimate how many households containing (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) five or more children in (i) the UK, (ii) each nation and region of the UK and (iii) each parliamentary constituency in the UK will benefit through the announced changes in tax relief to support child care costs from 2015; and how many such households have a combined income of (A) £20,000 to £30,000, (B) £30,000 to £40,000, (C) £40,000 to £50,000, (D) £50,000 to £60,000, (E) £60,000 to £70,000, (F) £70,000 to £80,000, (G) £80,000 to £90,000, (H) £90,000 to £100,000, (I) £100,000 to £110,000, (J) £110,000 to £120,000, (K) £120,000 to £130,000, (L) £130,000 to £140,000, (M) £140,000 to £150,000, (N) £150,000 to £160,000, (O) £160,000 to £170,000, (P) £170,000 to £180,000, (Q) £180,000 to £190,000, (R) £190,000 to £200,000, (S) £200,000 to £210,000, (T) £210,000 to £220,000, (U) £220,000 to £230,000, (V) £230,000 to £240,000, (W) £240,000 to £250,000, (X) £250,000 to £260,000, (Y) £260,000 to £270,000, (Z) £270,000 to £280,000, (aa) £280,000 to £290,000 and (bb) £290,000 to £300,000 per annum.

Sajid Javid: On 19 March, the Government announced a new scheme for tax-free child care for working families, which will ultimately be open to around 2.5 million families with children under 12. The details of the scheme, including eligibility requirements and how it interacts with universal credit, will be determined as part of a consultation on tax-free child care which will be published in due course. Information on the number of households expected to benefit will not be available until the consultation is complete and the policy details have been fully defined.

Children: Day Care

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of households containing one or more children in (a) the UK, (b) each nation and region of the UK, (c) each parliamentary constituency in the UK that will benefit as a result of the changes in universal credit to support child care costs from April 2016.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The child care element of tax credits is at present a key route for support with the cost of child care to be provided to low and middle income working families. Around 450,000 families currently receive this child care element. Within universal credit, support for child care is expected to help 100,000 additional families because those working less than 16 hours per week will be eligible to receive child care support.
	On 19 March, the Government announced further funding for child care. The detail of the two proposed schemes (extra support through universal credit offer and tax-free child care for those outside universal credit) as well as how the two schemes will interact, will be determined as part of a wider consultation on tax-free child care which will be published in due course. Information on the number of households that are expected to benefit from additional child care support will not be available until the consultation is complete and the policy details have been fully defined.

Children: Day Care

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the distributional effects of (a) the changes in tax relief on child care from 2015 and (b) the support for child care costs provided through universal credit from 2016 on persons in each decile on the income scale in each nation and region of the UK.

Sajid Javid: The Government will consider the distributional impacts of the additional child care support as this policy is developed in detail. The Government continue to assess the cumulative impacts of all their measures within the “Impacts on Households” annex, which is published at each fiscal event.

Children: Day Care

Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households he estimates will be eligible for the higher rate of child care support under universal credit announced in Budget 2013.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The child care element of tax credits is at present a key route for support with the cost of child care to be provided to low and middle income working families. Around 450,000 families currently receive this child care element. Within universal credit, support for child care is expected to help 100,000 additional families because those working less than 16 hours per week will be eligible to receive child care support.
	On 19 March, the Government announced further funding for child care. The detail of the two proposed schemes (extra support through universal credit offer and tax-free child care for those outside universal credit) as well as how the two schemes will interact, will be determined as part of a wider consultation on tax-free child care which will be published in due course. Information on the number of households that are expected to benefit from additional child care support will not be available until the consultation is complete and the policy details have been fully defined.

Children: Day Care

Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the additional child care support announced as part of Budget 2013 is expected to have an effect on measured child poverty rates.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The coalition Government remain committed to eradicating child poverty. They are taking a new approach by tackling the root causes including worklessness, educational failure and family breakdown. Universal credit will improve work incentives, as well as refocusing entitlements towards lower income in-work households. Also, opportunities and structures that let people realise their own potential are essential to reducing child poverty.
	On 19 March, the Government announced further funding for child care. The detail of the two proposed schemes (extra support through universal credit offer and tax-free child care for those outside universal credit), as well as how the two schemes will interact, will be determined as part of a wider consultation on tax-free child care which will be published in due course. Information on the impact on child poverty as defined by the Child Poverty Act is therefore not available.
	The Government strongly believe that looking at relative income in isolation is not a helpful measure to track progress towards our target of eradicating child poverty. We have consulted on better measures of child poverty that help identify the causes of poverty, and will publish our response to that consultation in the summer.

Children: Day Care

Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the distribution by income decile of additional gains to families arising from additional childcare support announced in Budget 2013.

Sajid Javid: The Government will consider the distributional impacts of the additional child care support as this policy is developed in detail. The Government continue to assess the cumulative impacts of all their measures within the “Impacts on Households” annex, which is published at each fiscal event.

Children: Day Care

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the minimum working time is which must be served before people are eligible for child care support.

Sajid Javid: Lone parents, or both parents in a couple, must work 16 hours or more a week to claim help with child care costs through working tax credit, with some exceptions. Under universal credit, this support will be extended so that families can access support for child care costs from the first hour of work.
	All families with a three to four-year-old, regardless of work status, can access 15 hours a week free early education, and from 2014-15 this will be extended to 260,000 two-year-olds.
	Employer supported child care has no rules regarding number of working hours.
	From autumn 2015, a new tax-free child care scheme will be introduced for families where both parents are in work. The details of this offer will be set out following consultation.

Children: Savings

John Woodcock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many child trust funds were created in the Barrow and Furness constituency in (a) 2007, (b) 2008, (c) 2009 and (d) 2010;
	(2)  how many junior ISAs were opened in Barrow and Furness constituency in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012.

Sajid Javid: Information on the number of child trust fund accounts in existence in the Barrow and Furness constituency as of 5 April 2012 can be found on the HM Revenue and Customs website at the following link:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/ctf.htm
	Information in respect of earlier year-end dates can be found by following the link to ‘Reports for previous years’.

Drax Power Station

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of whether Government support for Drax's biomass conversion plans under the UK Guarantees Scheme represents the best total net present value for investment.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 26 March 2013
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brent North (Barry Gardiner) on 19 March 2013, Official Report, column 598W.

Funerals

Neil Parish: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will conduct an examination of consumer protection regulations relating to members of the public paying into funeral plans; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: Since 1 January 2002 funeral plans have been regulated under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Sales of funeral plans are covered by the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 and the Financial Services (Distance Marketing) Regulations 2004. Both regulations require that, at a minimum, consumers must be given clear information including details of the goods or services offered, supply arrangements, payment details, and the supplier's details before they buy. Consumers must also be provided with a cooling-off period.

International Organisations

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which international organisations the UK is due to pay subscriptions in 2012-13; how much each such subscription is; and on what dates those transactions will be made.

Greg Clark: holding answer 26 March 2013
	The UK maintains subscriptions to a wide range of international organisations and has met its obligations to these organisations in 2012-13.
	HM Treasury does not hold detailed information on the individual subscriptions to international bodies paid by Departments.

Minimum Wage: Scotland

Pamela Nash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were in the HM Revenue and Customs national minimum wage team monitoring Scotland in January (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.

David Gauke: The information requested is in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of staff in Scotland 
			 2010 11 
			 2011 11 
			 2012 10 
			 2013 10

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Ann McKechin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Financial Statement of 20 March 2013, Official Report, column 942, whether there will be for any individual a maximum on the number of concurrent mortgages that can be covered by the proposed mortgage indemnity guarantee or mortgage subsidy schemes.

Sajid Javid: Home buyers under the Help to Buy: equity loan scheme will have to divest any interest in any other property they own prior to the Help to Buy sale completing. This will be done through a legal declaration by the purchaser’s solicitor.
	The Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee is designed to help people with small deposits buy their first home or buy a bigger home for their family. The Government published a scheme outline at Budget 2013 and will now discuss the detailed design of the scheme with industry.

National Employment Savings Trust Scheme

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with charities regarding the Government-backed private pension fund NEST.

Sajid Javid: Treasury Ministers and officials engage with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations. This is available online at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm

Northern Rock

Pamela Nash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been repaid to the public purse by each bank that has been lent money from the public purse since the collapse of Northern Rock.

Sajid Javid: Details of loans to banks are published on an annual basis in HM Treasury's Report and Accounts, which are available on the HM Treasury website. Since the collapse of Northern Rock HM Treasury has paid a total of £35.99 billion of loans to Northern Rock and Bradford and Bingley. As at 31 March 2012 £8.17 billion had been repaid. The relevant information is summarised in Figure 4 of Chapter 8 of the 2011-12 Annual Report and Accounts and in the following table. Further details of repayments by individual bank are included in notes 15 and 26 to 36 of Chapter 9 of the 2011-12 Annual Report and Accounts.
	
		
			 £ billion 
			  Total loans advanced as at 31 March 2012 Loans repaid as at 31 March 2012 Outstanding loans at 31 March 2012 
			 Northern Rock (Asset Management) loan 27.44 (7.60) 19.84 
			 Bradford and Bingley working capital facility 8.55 (0.57) 7.98 
		
	
	Further details will be published in the HM Treasury Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13 later this year.

Poverty: Children

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Financial Statement of 20 March 2013, Official Report, column 424, what assessment he has made of the effects of raising the personal tax allowance on child poverty in (a) Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK.

Sajid Javid: Treasury has not measured the impact of Budget 2013 on the narrow relative income measure of child poverty as the Government strongly believes looking at relative income in isolation is not a helpful measure to track progress towards our target of eradicating child poverty.
	The Government are seeking a wide range of views as part of a consultation on better measures of child poverty, which include income but also wider measures to tackle the root causes of poverty, including worklessness and educational failure.

Public Expenditure

Pamela Nash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of public spending per head of population in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland on (i) education, (ii) health, (iii) transport and (iv) policing in the financial year 2012-13 to date.

Danny Alexander: Total public spending for years from 2007-08 to 2011-12 on education, health, transport and policing in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland per head of population were published in tables B.5, B.6, B.7 and B.8 respectively of the Country and Regional Analysis (CRA) 2012, published by HM Treasury in October 2012. These data for 2011-12 are the latest available and are presented in the following table.
	
		
			  2011-12 Spending £ per head of population 
			  England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland 
			 Education 1,446 1,466 1,450 1,498 
			 Health 1,874 2,091 1,964 2,114 
			 Transport 292 518 351 330 
			 Policing 255 247 243 488 
			 Total spending 8,491 10,088 9,740 10,624 
		
	
	Figures for 2012-13 will be published in the Country and Regional Analysis 2013 National Statistics release, which is due to be published in October 2013.

Public Expenditure: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to his letter to hon. Members of 19 March 2013, what Barnett consequentials will be awarded to the Welsh Government as a result of the £1 billion of additional funding to support the Government's industrial strategy over the next 10 years.

Danny Alexander: The proposed funding will be directed towards science and innovation on a UK-wide basis and, as these matters are reserved, there will be no Barnett consequentials.
	However, Wales will benefit directly from this funding. For example, businesses in the aerospace cluster based around the North Wales border will benefit from access to the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI).

Public Expenditure: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what total Barnett consequentials will be awarded to Wales as a result of money allocated to convert the Olympic stadium for footballing purposes.

Danny Alexander: £38.7 million has already been accounted for through the Public Sector Funding Package and the Government's announcement confirms an additional £25 million is being provided from a number of Departments. This provision is on a contingency basis so there are no consequentials at this point. If and when the money is drawn down any consequentials will be considered in the normal way.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for each of the principal access numbers operated by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible, what revenue has been retained by (i) the telephone provider for that line and (ii) his Department in each of the last three years.

Sajid Javid: The information requested is as follows.
	(a) The principal access numbers operated by HM Treasury are:
	Treasury Press Office—020 7270 5238
	Treasury switchboard—020 7270 5000.
	(b) The Debt Management Office (DMO), an executive agency of HM Treasury, provides telephone numbers on its website for 10 contact points within the organisation. Details of those principal access numbers are given in the following table. The DMO has recently updated its website so that for the six contact points listed on the ‘contact us’ page of the DMO's website, two telephone numbers are provided for each contact point: a geographic (0207) number and a non-geographic (0845) number. 0845 numbers continue to be provided alongside the geographic alternative because of the key business continuity advantage of continuous access to 0845 numbers in the event of an interruption to geographic telephone services.
	(i) and (ii) The Department and agencies do not hold information on what revenue has been retained by the telephone provider of the aforementioned telephone numbers nor do the Department or agencies retain any revenue from them.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which telephone lines are operated by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible for public inquiries or other services; what the (i) principal access number and (ii) telephone service provider is for each number; and which such lines (A) are free to the caller and (B) may incur a charge to the caller.

Sajid Javid: The information is as follows:
	(a) (i. ii.)
	The principal access numbers operated by HM Treasury are:
	Treasury Press Office—020 7270 5238
	Treasury switchboard—020 7270 5000
	The telephone service provider of these numbers is Level 3 and as the number is a 0207 London number the caller may incur a charge.
	(b) (i.ii.)
	The Debt Management Office (DMO), an executive agency of HM Treasury, provides telephone numbers on its website for 10 contact points within the organisation. Details of those principal access numbers are given in the following table. The DMO has recently updated its website so that for the six contact points listed on the ‘contact us' page of the DMO's website, two telephone numbers are provided for each contact point, a geographic (0207) number, and a non-geographic (0845) number. 0845 numbers continue to be provided alongside the geographic alternatives because of the key business continuity advantage of continuous access to 0845 numbers in the event of an interruption to geographic telephone services.
	
		
			 Contact point Geographic contact number Non-geographic contact number 
			 Switchboard 020 7862 6500 0845 357 6500 
			 Markets 020 7862 6517 0845 357 6517 
			 Public Works Loan Board 020 7862 6610 0845 357 6610 
			 Press and policy 020 7862 6532 0845 357 6532 
			 Research 020 7862 6516 0845 357 6516 
			 Web 020 7862 6620 0845 357 6620 
			 Credit guarantee scheme and asset-backed securities guarantee scheme 020 7862 6663 n/a 
			 Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt 020 7862 6530 n/a 
			 Debt Management Account Deposit Facility 020 7862 6505 n/a 
			 Freedom of Information 020 7862 6528 n/a 
		
	
	The telephone service provider for both the geographic and the non-geographic numbers is Colt Technology Services Group Ltd.
	Calling either the geographic or non-geographic contact numbers may incur a cost for the caller.

Tour de France

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what money has been made available from the Treasury reserve to fund the Yorkshire and UK staging of the Tour de France Le Grand Depart 2014.

Sajid Javid: Hosting the opening stages of the 2014 Tour de France offers a real opportunity to showcase what the UK has to offer as a tourism destination, to build on our success as a host of world class sporting events and to attract economic benefits, particularly in those regions through which the route will pass.
	The Government will make funding available to UK Sport to support the Grand Depart 2014, subject to UK Sport working with Welcome to Yorkshire and other event partners to review current plans and identify how these can be made more robust to ensure value for money for any public investment. The level of support will be determined by the outcome of this exercise and subject to need.

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust

John Woodcock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what involvement (a) he and (b) other Treasury Ministers had in the approval of the severance package for Mr Tony Halsall, former chief executive of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust;
	(2)  on what date he was made aware of the details of the arrangements for the severance of Mr Tony Halsall from the position of chief executive of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay; and whether he was made aware of Mr Halsall's continued employment in the NHS.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 25 March 2013
	Treasury approval is required before any special severance payments—meaning payments outside their contractual entitlement—can be made to public sector staff.
	As the hon. Member will be aware, no extra-contractual payments were made in this case, and therefore no approach was made to the Treasury for clearance. Other Treasury Ministers and I were first made aware of these arrangements, including Mr Halsall's current place of employment, in March 2013.

EDUCATION

16-19 Bursary Fund: Lancashire

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency will receive the new Bursary Fund; and how much will be spent under that fund in the next three years.

David Laws: Information on the numbers of young people at each location, who have received payments from the 16-19 Bursary Fund since it began in September 2011, is not held centrally. Information on payments made in Lancaster and Fleetwood will be held by the schools, colleges and training providers concerned.
	The 16-19 Bursary Fund is worth £180 million a year nationally. Funding will continue until the end of the current spending review period in 2015.

Academies

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether Ofsted is permitted to inspect the groups to which school academies belong.

David Laws: Ofsted does not have an explicit power to inspect groups to which academies belong but has a duty (section 5 of the Education Act 2005) to inspect individual schools and a power (section 8 of the Education Act 2005) to inspect individual schools outside of normal inspection schedules. Ofsted may therefore take a view on the support and challenge provided by an overarching body during an individual school inspection.

Bain and Company

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which officials in his Department were part of the joint team with Bain and Company in the Departmental Review in 2012.

Elizabeth Truss: holding answer 14 March 2013
	The joint team leading the Departmental Review was led by Sinead O'Sullivan and Kate Chhatwal, and consisted of six other officials below Grade 6.
	To ensure the Review provided a comprehensive picture of work across the Department, the team held workshops for all members of the senior civil service (approximately 135 deputy directors, approximately 30 directors and three directors general). This work was supplemented by over 100 staff volunteers and by attendees at over 40 staff sessions across all of our sites.

Brain: Tumours

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will meet the charity HeadSmart to discuss how teachers might be trained to recognise the early symptoms of brain tumours in children.

David Laws: The Education and Childcare Minister, the hon. Member for South West Norfolk (Elizabeth Truss), met representatives of HeadSmart on 19 November 2012 to discuss their campaign.

Children in Care

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress his Department has made on implementing the recommendations of the Third Report from the Children, Schools and Families Committee, Session 2008-09, HC111, on looked-after children.

Edward Timpson: The Government provided a response to the 2008-09 report in 2011. This is available at:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmeduc/924/92403.htm
	and is supported by a radical programme of work to improve all aspects of the lives of children in care. Highlights include:
	The Children and Families Bill, which has been introduced into Parliament;
	Publication in January of ‘Further Action on Adoption: Finding More Loving Homes’. This is available at:
	https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/AllPublications/Page1/DFE-00003-2013;
	A revised and streamlined legal framework for looked-after children, in particular the revised regulations and guidance about care planning, placements and case review which came into force in April 2011.
	Current programmes and activities focus in particular on improving educational outcomes for all looked-after children; securing a sufficient supply of foster carers to meet children's needs; improving the quality of the work force, including social work reform, and the skills of foster carers and residential care staff; reforming children's residential care; improving data and practice on children who go missing from care; and improving outcomes for care leavers.
	Copies of these documents will be placed in the House Libraries

Child Poverty

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2013, Official Report, column 46W, whether a summary of responses to the consultation will be published by the Government, along with the Government's response to them.

David Laws: The consultation closed on 15 February, and we are currently analysing all the responses. We anticipate that we will publish a summary of the responses to the consultation alongside the Government's response, which we will publish in the summer.

e-mail

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what advice or guidance Ministers of his Department have (a) discussed and (b) drafted on answering parliamentary questions relating to the use of private e-mail accounts for messages relating to Government business; and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss: Ministers in the Department for Education have not drafted, or taken part in any discussions about the preparation of, any advice or guidance on answering parliamentary questions relating to the use of private e-mail for Government business.

Foster Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which local authorities have signed up to the Foster Care Charter to date.

Edward Timpson: Local authorities are not required to inform the Department when they have signed up to the Foster Carers' Charter. Those which are known to have signed the Charter include:
	Blackpool
	Bolton
	Bradford
	Brent
	Cheshire East
	Cornwall
	Coventry
	Cumbria
	Darlington
	Devon
	Derbyshire
	Dorset
	Ealing
	East Riding
	East Sussex
	Essex
	Halton
	Hammersmith and Fulham
	Hampshire
	Hartlepool
	Havering
	Isle of Wight
	Kensington and Chelsea
	Kent
	Knowsley
	Lambeth
	Leicestershire
	Lewisham
	Luton
	Medway
	Merton
	Middlesbrough
	Milton Keynes
	Newcastle Upon Tyne
	Newham
	Northamptonshire
	North East Lincolnshire
	North Lincolnshire
	North Somerset
	North Tyneside
	Northumberland
	North Yorkshire
	Nottingham City
	Nottinghamshire County
	Oldham
	Peterborough
	Plymouth
	Poole
	Redcar and Cleveland
	Richmond upon Thames
	Rotherham
	Sheffield
	Slough
	Solihull
	Somerset
	Southend-on-Sea
	South Gloucestershire
	South Tyneside
	Southwark
	Staffordshire
	Stockport
	Stockton on Tees
	Suffolk
	Sunderland
	Surrey
	Swindon
	Tameside
	Trafford
	Wakefield
	Warwickshire
	Warrington
	West Berkshire
	Westminster
	West Sussex
	Wigan
	Wiltshire
	Wolverhampton.
	Replying to a survey last year, a further nine local authorities reported that they were expecting to launch their Charter shortly, and another 37 local authorities said they were in the process of developing their Charter.

Free School Meals

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all children in poverty receive free school meals.

David Laws: The Government recognise the benefits of healthy school meals and are committed to continuing to provide free school meals to those pupils who need them most. Our priority is to make sure that the most disadvantaged children are able to get a nutritious meal funded by schools.
	We are working to encourage all families who meet the criteria to register for free school meals. We want disadvantaged children to benefit from a nutritious meal, and their schools to be able to receive pupil premium funding to help raise disadvantaged pupils' attainment.
	Free school meals are not compulsory and there are many reasons why a family may choose not to claim a free school meal to which they are entitled. The fear of being stigmatised can prevent many children from taking a free school meal. But we have made progress in addressing this. For example, many schools now have cashless systems and other methods to ensure that it is not obvious which pupils are receiving a free school lunch. The Department for Education's eligibility checking system, used by local authorities, has also made it much easier and quicker to check anonymously which families are entitled to free school meals. National free school meal take-up increased by 60,000 between 2010 and 2012.

Free School Meals

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has received on entitlement to free school meals for children in poverty.

David Laws: This year the Department has received a petition organised by the Children's Society and 38 Degrees. In addition, parliamentary questions were asked by the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson), (PQ 147517). and the right hon. Member for East Ham (Stephen Timms), (114811), and we have responded to a number of letters from MPs and members of the public.

Free School Meals

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on free school meals; and if he will make a statement.

David Laws: The Government recognise the benefits of healthy school meals and are committed to continuing to provide free school meals to those pupils who need them most.
	We are working to encourage all families who meet the current criteria to register for free school meals. We want disadvantaged children to benefit from a nutritious meal, and also for their schools to receive additional funding through the pupil premium to help raise disadvantaged pupils' attainment.
	The Department for Education's eligibility checking system, used by local authorities, has made it much easier and quicker to check anonymously which families are entitled to free school meals.
	The Children's Food Trust (formerly The School Food Trust) has produced a ‘Free School Meals Matter Toolkit’ to provide schools with information and advice to help them encourage all eligible pupils to register for, and take, their free school meal. The Department has also published on its website ways to encourage parents to register their child's eligibility for free school meals. Take-up of free school meals in England increased by 60,000 between 2010 and 2012.

Free School Meals

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from (a) individuals and (b) organisations regarding the delivery of free school meals through universal credit.

David Laws: This year the Department has received a petition organised by the Children's Society and 38 Degrees. In addition, parliamentary questions were asked by the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson), (PQ 147517), the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Richard Burden), (PQ 148468), and the right hon. Member for East Ham (Stephen Timms), (PQs 114811 and 148217), and we have responded to a number of letters from MPs and members of the public.

GCE AS-level

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which university bodies have explicitly supported the proposed measures to establish AS levels as a stand-alone qualification.

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which university bodies have contacted him in support of the proposed measures to establish AS levels as a stand-alone qualification.

Elizabeth Truss: I have discussed our plans for A-level reform with a wide range of organisations and individuals, including: the Russell Group and Universities UK. These discussions and Ofqual’s consultation showed widespread support for the AS-level, so we are retaining it as a stand-alone qualification to support breadth.

GCSE

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of pupils without statements of special educational needs who were (a) eligible and (b) not eligible for free school meals and who attended academies, achieved 5 A* to C grades including English and mathematics but excluding equivalents in each year since 2003.

David Laws: holding answer 18 March 2013
	The requested information for the academic years 2007/08 to 2011/12 is given in the table. Information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Achievements at GCSE for pupils(1 )without a statement of SEN at the end of key stage 4 by free school meal eligibility. Years: 2007/08 to 2011/12 (revised)(2. )Coverage: England, Academies(7) 
			  Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals All other pupils(3) 
			 Pupils without a statement of SEN(5) Number of eligible pupils(1) Number achieving 5+ A*-C grades exc. equivalents inc. English and mathematics GCSEs Percentage achieving 5+ A*-C grades exc. equivalents inc. English and mathematics GCSEs Number of eligible pupils(1) Number achieving 5+ A*-C grades exc. equivalents inc. English and mathematics GCSEs Percentage achieving 5+ A*-C grades exc. equivalents inc. English and mathematics GCSEs 
			 2007/08       
			 All academies(6) 2,987 630 21.1 8,644 2,977 34.4 
			 Sponsored academies 2,987 630 21.1 8,644 2,977 34.4 
			 Converter academies n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			        
			 2008/09       
			 All academies(6) 4,504 991 22.0 14,862 5,490 36.9 
			 Sponsored academies 4,504 991 22.0 14,862 5,490 36.9 
			 Converter academies n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			        
			 2009/10       
			 All academies(6) 7,477 1,621 21.7 23,546 8,707 37.0 
			 Sponsored academies 7,477 1,621 21.7 23,546 8,707 37.0 
			 Converter academies n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			        
			 2010/11       
			 All academies(6) 10,032 2,347 23.4 34,671 15,127 43.6 
			 Sponsored academies 9,766 2,230 22.8 30,024 11,656 38.8 
			 Converter academies 266 117 44.0 4,647 3,471 74.7 
			        
			 2011/12       
			 All academies(6) 22,061 6,509 29.5 153,672 93,345 60.7 
			 Sponsored academies 11,592 2,698 23.3 35,637 14,118 39.6 
			 Converter academies 10,469 3,811 36.4 118,035 79,227 67.1 
		
	
	
		
			  All pupils(4) 
			 Pupils without a statement of SEN(5) Number of eligible pupils(1) Number achieving 5+ A*-C grades exc. equivalents inc. English and mathematics GCSEs Percentage achieving 5+ A*-C grades exc. equivalents inc. English and mathematics GCSEs 
			 2007/08    
			 All academies(6) 11,631 3,607 31.0 
			 Sponsored academies 11,631 3,607 31.0 
			 Converter academies n/a n/a n/a 
			     
			 2008/09    
			 All academies(6) 19,366 6,481 33.5 
		
	
	
		
			 Sponsored academies 19,366 6,481 33.5 
			 Converter academies n/a n/a n/a 
			     
			 2009/10    
			 All academies(6) 31,023 10,328 33.3 
			 Sponsored academies 31,023 10,328 33.3 
			 Converter academies n/a n/a n/a 
			     
			 2010/11    
			 All academies(6) 44,703 17,474 39.1 
			 Sponsored academies 39,790 13,886 34.9 
			 Converter academies 4,913 3,588 73.0 
			     
			 2011/12    
			 All academies(6) 175,733 99,854 56.8 
			 Sponsored academies 47,229 16,816 35.6 
			 Converter academies 128,504 83,038 64.6 
			 n/a = not applicable (1) Pupils at the end of key stage 4 in each academic year. (2 )Figures for 2007/08 to 2010/11 are based on final data, 2011/12 figures are based on revised data. (3 )Includes pupils not eligible for free school meals and for whom free school meal eligibility was unclassified or could not be determined. (4 )Includes pupils for whom free school meal eligibility or SEN provision could not be determined. (5 )Includes pupils with no identified SEN, SEN pupils without a statement (classified as School Action or School Action plus) and unclassified pupils. (6) Includes mainstream academies only; there are no pupils without a statement of SEN in special academies. (7 )Includes all academies and free schools that were open before 12 September 2011. Source: National Pupil Database (2007/03 to 2010/11) and Key Stage 4 attainment data (2011/12)

GCSE

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average uncapped GCSE points score of pupils was in (a) London Challenge schools, (b) City Challenge schools and (c) all maintained secondary schools by ethnic group in each year since the start of the London Challenge programme.

David Laws: The requested information for the academic year 2007/08 to 2011/12 is given in the following tables. Information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Average uncapped GCSE point score of pupils in London Challenge schools(1), City Challenge schools(2) and all maintained secondary schools(3) by ethnic group, 2007/08 to 2011/12 (revised)(4), England 
			  White Mixed Asian 
			 School type Number of eligible pupils(6) Average uncapped GCSE point score per pupil(7) Number of eligible pupils(6) Average uncapped GCSE point score per pupil(7) Number of eligible pupils(6) Average uncapped GCSE point score per pupil(7) 
			 London Challenge schools(1)       
			 2007/08 37,176 386.3 4,763 384.5 12,901 424.5 
			 2008/09 35,442 412.6 5,002 416.7 13,031 445.5 
			 2009/10 35,045 442.8 5,312 441.6 13,172 468.4 
			 2010/11 33,797 463.4 5,523 462.5 13,635 487.7 
			 2011/12 33,250 471.6 5,727 474.5 13,947 498.2 
			        
			 City Challenge schools(2)       
			 2007/08 39,078 388.5 1,581 375.0 4,951 409.4 
			 2008/09 36,495 415.7 1,512 403.0 4,987 428.6 
			 2009/10 35,367 452.5 1,620 439.9 5,197 468.4 
			 2010/11 34,056 476.6 1,685 475.2 5,251 488.8 
			 2011/12 33,386 483.9 1,788 485.5 5,508 499.6 
			        
			 All state-funded secondary schools(3)       
			 2007/08 500,995 392.4 16,122 387.9 39,413 415.3 
			 2008/09 479,928 418.7 16,836 417.1 40,896 439.4 
			 2009/10 476,575 448.5 17,982 445.7 41,908 471.1 
			 2010/11 463,224 471.7 18,715 469.9 42,720 496.3 
		
	
	
		
			 2011/12 454,458 480.4 20,077 480.1 44,256 505.4 
		
	
	
		
			  Black Chinese All pupils(5) 
			 School type Number of eligible pupils(6) Average uncapped GCSE point score per pupil(7) Number of eligible pupils(6) Average uncapped GCSE point score per pupil(7) Number of eligible pupils(6) Average uncapped GCSE point score per pupil(7) 
			 London Challenge schools(1)       
			 2007/08 14,449 367.0 609 504.4 74,710 390.4 
			 2008/09 14,909 401.2 608 538.4 73,721 418.6 
			 2009/10 15,266 427.1 601 565.0 74,253 446.1 
			 2010/11 15,844 448.2 559 577.2 74,229 466.1 
			 2011/12 16,129 454.9 567 594.5 74,541 474.9 
			        
			 City Challenge schools(2)       
			 2007/08 1,325 392.6 208 512.5 48,075 390.4 
			 2008/09 1,431 419.6 196 544.4 45,403 417.4 
			 2009/10 1,422 454.9 177 550.2 44,600 454.1 
			 2010/11 1,561 492.5 187 588.9 43,611 479.2 
			 2011/12 1,607 491.5 192 598.5 43,227 487.0 
			        
			 All state-funded secondary schools(3)       
			 2007/08 22,134 371.6 2,196 507.0 595,806 393.1 
			 2008/09 23,269 405.2 2,219 535.7 576,420 419.9 
			 2009/10 23,815 434.3 2,188 557.5 575,970 449.8 
			 2010/11 25,084 460.4 2,255 580.0 564,863 473.3 
			 2011/12 25,895 465.5 2,269 589.7 559,093 482.2 
			 (1) London Challenge schools include all inner and outer London state-funded schools (including academies and CTCs). (2) City Challenge schools include all state-funded schools (including academies and CTCs within the local authorities of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton in the ‘black country’ and Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan in ‘Greater Manchester’. (3) Includes all England state-funded schools (including academies and CTCs). (4) Figures for 2007/08 to 2010/11 are based on final data, 2011/12 figures are based on revised data. (5) Includes pupils for whom ethnicity was not obtained, refused or could not be determined. (6) Pupils at the end of key stage 4 in each academic year. (7) Total uncapped point score from GCSE and equivalents divided by the number of eligible pupils. Source: Notional pupil database (2007/08 to 2010/11) and key stage 4 attainment data (2011/12).

History: Curriculum

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what provision he has made in the schools curriculum to widen opportunities for children to study British history;
	(2)  if he will make provision in school curricula to widen opportunities for children to study local history.

Elizabeth Truss: We recently published proposals for the reform of the National Curriculum for public consultation. The proposed new programmes of study for history are designed to ensure that all pupils know and understand the main events, periods and personalities of British history by the end of key stage 3. The new curriculum requires that British history be taught as a coherent, chronological narrative from the earliest settlers to the present day.
	Our proposals also make it clear that pupils should be given the opportunity to study local history throughout key stages 1 to 3.
	Beyond the requirements of the National Curriculum, schools are free to design their own curricula in a way that will challenge and engage all their pupils.

Internet: Bullying

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to engage with (a) five to 10-year-olds and (b) 10 to 15- year-olds about peer pressure online;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of cyber-bullying among (a) five to 10-year-olds and (b) 10 to 15-year-olds.

Edward Timpson: For 10 to 15-year-old children, internet safety is currently part of the National Curriculum at secondary level—in ICT key stage 3 and 4 pupils learn to recognise issues of risk, safety, and responsibility surrounding the use of ICT. Internet safety can also be taught as part of form tutor sessions and in PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) lessons. For five to 10-year-old children, from September 2014 it is proposed that internet safety is part of the National Curriculum computing programmes of study at primary level. The proposal, currently under consultation, requires pupils to show that they are responsible, competent, confident, and creative users of information and communication technology.
	I co-chair the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) which brings together the internet industries, charities, academia, law enforcement and regulators to work in partnership to help keep children safe online. Each year there is a large awareness raising campaign for Safer Internet Day and the UKCCIS guidance on internet safety messages, which contains information about cyberbullying, peer pressure and other behavioural issues, is carried by responsible providers of services used by children.

Mobile Phones

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which company holds the largest contract to provide mobile telephony services to his Department; how much is paid each year under that contract; how many individual devices are covered by the contract; when the contract was awarded; and when and how the contract will next be reviewed.

Elizabeth Truss: The largest contract for mobile telephony services is Vodafone with an estimated contract value of £999,643.00 over the four-year term.
	As at 26 February 2013 there are 2,203 individual devices covered by the contract which was awarded on 19 September 2011.
	Supplier performance is currently reviewed on a weekly basis. The contract expires in September 2015; planning for contract exit and transition to a new supplier (if required) will begin in or around December 2014. The next mobile telephony contract will be procured via a Government Procurement Service (GPS) framework or other compliant route.

Ofsted

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he will publish the response to the consultation on Ofsted fees; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Timpson: We published the response to the consultation on proposed changes to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) (Children’s Homes etc) Regulations 2007 in March 2013. My Department has made the necessary final changes to the regulations and these came into force on 1 April 2013.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole of 4 March 2013, Official Report, column 671, how many students have been registered for the pupil premium in Crawley constituency in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; and what steps his Department is taking to increase uptake of the pupil premium in Crawley constituency.

David Laws: The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011. Pupil premium funding is provided to schools which have on roll pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (the deprivation premium); children in care who have been continuously looked after for at least six months (the looked-after child premium); and children whose parents are serving in the armed forces (the service child premium). The Government are determined that the pupil premium is used by schools to close attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.
	In the financial year 2011-12, 1,810 pupils attending schools in Crawley constituency area were eligible for the deprivation premium or service premium, attracting £884,000. It is not possible to identify, at constituency level, the number of pupils eligible for the looked-after child premium or the number of pupils eligible for the deprivation premium in alternative provision settings.
	In the financial year 2012-13, eligibility for the pupil premium was extended to include those eligible for FSM at any point in the last six years. In 2012-13, 3,080 pupils attending schools in Crawley constituency area were eligible for the deprivation premium or service premium, attracting £1.913 million.
	Illustrative pupil premium allocations using January 2012 pupil numbers show that Crawley constituency area will receive approximately £2.763 million of pupil premium funding in 2013-14. Final allocations for 2013-14 based on 2013 pupil numbers will be published in the autumn.
	We are working to encourage all families who meet the criteria to register for free school meals. We want disadvantaged children to benefit from a nutritious meal, and their schools to be able to receive pupil premium funding to help raise disadvantaged pupils' attainment.
	Free school meals are not compulsory and there are many reasons why a family may choose not to claim a free school meal to which they are entitled. The fear of being stigmatised can prevent children from taking a free school meal, but we have made progress in addressing this. For example, many schools now have cashless systems and other methods to ensure that it is not obvious which pupils are receiving a free school lunch. The Department for Education's eligibility checking system, used by local authorities, has also made it much easier and quicker to check anonymously which families are entitled to free school meals.

School Leaving

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he plans to require all schools and colleges to publish destination data for their pupils on a fixed and permanent basis.

David Laws: Education destination measures were published for the first time in July 2012. The measures show the percentage of students continuing their education in school, further education, 6th form college or higher education institution, and the percentage training, including through an apprenticeship. The measures are published at national, local and individual school or college level. The data are available at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STA/t001076/index.shtml
	The destination measures are published by the Department for Education rather than by individual schools and colleges. The measures are based on the data we already receive, meaning that they are comparable and there are no additional burdens on schools and colleges.
	We have no plans to require schools to publish additional destination information themselves.

School Leaving: Birmingham

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils dropped out of school before the age of 16 in (a) Birmingham and (b) Birmingham, Selly Oak constituency in the last year.

David Laws: Information on pupils dropping out of school in Birmingham local authority and Birmingham Selly Oak constituency is not readily available and to produce this information would incur disproportionate cost.

Schools: Admissions

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of children were given a place at either their first or second choice (a) primary and (b) secondary school in (i) Bury St Edmunds constituency, (ii) Suffolk and (iii) England in each of the last three years.

David Laws: The available information of the proportion of children offered a place at either their first or second choice secondary school in Suffolk and in England in each of the last three years is set out as follows. Constituency level data are not collected. The Department does not currently collect primary preference data.
	
		
			 Secondary School Applications and Offers, 2010-12 
			 Percentage 
			   Proportion receiving 1(st) preference Proportion receiving 2(nd) preference Proportion receiving 1(st) or 2(nd) preference 
			 2012 England 85.3 7.8 93.1 
			  Suffolk 96.8 2.1 99.0 
			      
			 2011 England 84.6 8.1 92.7 
			  Suffolk 92.2 3.8 96.0 
			      
			 2010 England 83.2 8.6 91.8 
			  Suffolk 91.4 3.1 94.5 
			 Note: Total calculated on unrounded figures: may not match sum of rounded 1(st) and 2(nd) preferences.

Schools: Capital Investment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department spent on building and refurbishing schools in each year for which figures are available.

David Laws: holding answer 14 March 2013
	The following table (Table 1) gives the capital funding provided by the Department in the years 2000-01 to 2012-13 and the average annual funding in each of the preceding three decades. The amount spent on school buildings may differ from the funding provided by the Department because much of that funding was devolved to support local decision-making. However, the Department does not hold records of local authorities' expenditure.
	
		
			 Table 1 
			  Capital Funding (£ billion) 
			 2012-13 4.5 
			 2011-12 5.1 
			 2010-11 7.1 
			 2009-10 7.4 
			 2008-09 5.5 
			 2007-08 5.2 
			 2006-07 4.6 
			 2005-06 4.3 
			 2004-05 3.6 
			 2003-04 3.3 
			 2002-03 2.8 
			 2001-02 2.0 
			 2000-01 2.0 
			 1990-91 to 1999-2000(1) 0.8 
			 1980-81 to 1989-90(1) 0.4 
			 1970-71 to 1979-80(1) 0.3 
			 (1) Average per year. Notes: 1. Figures are nominal. 2. Capital funding includes conventional funding: capital grant and supported borrowing allocations and excludes investment through PFI.

Schools: Sports

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the Prime Minister’s statement at Millwall Rugby Club on 16 March 2013 that £150 million a year is to be allocated to primary schools for sports provisions, whether that funding has already been allocated to head teachers but will now be ring fenced solely for school sport.

Edward Timpson: The funding of £150 million per year for academic years 2013/14 and 2014/15, announced by the Prime Minister on 16 March 2013, has not yet been allocated to primary school head teachers. This is additional funding and will be distributed to eligible schools from September 2013.

Teachers

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many newly qualified teachers failed to join or left the teaching profession within the first three years of qualifying in the last 10 years.

David Laws: Information is available for teachers in England and Wales who gained qualified teacher status in each calendar year and whether they were in service in the publicly funded sector in each March. The latest available information is for March 2010. Therefore the most recent cohort of teachers for which information is available is for those who qualified between 1997 and 2006, of which there were 314,100. Of this group, 74,300 were recorded as out of service three years after they qualified.
	The figure provided includes both teachers who never entered service and those who have left publicly funded service either permanently or temporarily. An unknown number of all the teachers gaining qualified teacher status will have taken up teaching appointments in other education sectors.
	The source of this information is the Database of Teachers Records.

Teachers

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of possible changes in teacher numbers and training requirements as a result of the proposed introduction of new GCSE, A Level and national curriculum requirements.

David Laws: The Department makes teacher training places available in line with an estimate of demand from schools for new teachers. This includes using evidence as it becomes available of the likely impact of Government policy such as curriculum and qualification reform on that demand. The growth of school centred initial teacher training and the new school direct programme will also enable schools to plan locally for any requirement for new teachers as a result of the reforms.
	Schools are best placed to decide which resources and continuing professional development meet their needs to ensure successful implementation of A-level, GCSE and national curriculum changes. We therefore expect schools to identify their priorities for action, building on current areas of strength and taking the opportunity to develop their own curriculum. To assist with this the Department is supporting initial teacher training providers in adapting existing training and working with a range of organisations to ensure that high quality support becomes available. These include publishers, teaching schools and subject associations.

Teachers: Conditions of Employment

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he has had with trades unions on teachers’ pay, pensions and conditions; and if he will make a statement.

David Laws: holding answer 14 March 2013
	We meet frequently at both ministerial and official level with the teaching unions to discuss areas of mutual interest, including pay and pensions.
	In relation to teachers’ pay, the Secretary of State for Education, the right hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), published the School Teachers’ Pay Review Body’s (STRB) 21st Report and the Government’s response to it on 5 December 2012 and, at the same time, launched a four-week consultation with statutory consultees (including the teaching and head teacher unions) on the proposals. As part of that consultation process, officials arranged a series of meetings with union officials to discuss the STRB’s recommendations. On 14 February 2013, we launched the consultation process in relation to revisions to the School Teacher’s Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD). Officials have again met with all of the statutory consultee unions and continue to do so on an ongoing basis to ensure that all of their views are understood and to discuss specific implementation issues.
	In relation to teachers’ pensions, officials have met with trade union general secretaries approximately bi-monthly to discuss public sector pension reform and the impact on the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS). Since September 2012, officials have met with trade union and employer representatives on a monthly basis to consider the technical aspects of the proposed new scheme. The new TPS will start in April 2015.

Teachers: Labour Turnover

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the teacher retention and wastage rates have been in the last 10 years; and what assessment he has made of trends in such figures over that period.

David Laws: The following table provides the full-time and part-time qualified teacher turnover and wastage rates in publicly funded schools in England for 2000-01 to 2009-10, the latest information available.
	
		
			 Turnover and wastage rates of qualified teachers in publicly funded schools by region, 2000-01 to 2009-10, England 
			 Percentage 
			  Full-time Part-time(1) Full-time and part-time(1) 
			  Turnover rate(2) Wastage rate(3) Turnover rate(4) Wastage rate(5) Wastage rate(6) 
			 2000-01 19.5 10.3 32.0 25.9 9.0 
			 2001-02 18.7 10.5 32.1 26.4 9.4 
			 2002-03 19.4 11.1 34.1 28.5 10.1 
			 2003-04 18.5 11.0 31.0 25.4 9.7 
			 2004-05 18.6 11.4 30.1 24.9 9.7 
			 2005-06 18.2 11.5 32.9 27.4 10.0 
			 2006-07 17.7- 10.9 31.0 25.6 9.7 
			 2007-08(8) 18.5 11.0 28.7 23.6 9.0 
			 2008-09(8) 18.7 11.1 27.4 22.6 8,9 
			 2009-10(7,8) 18.6 10.5 28.5 22.8 8.6 
			 (1) 10% to 20% of part-time teachers may not be included in the data. (2) Full-time turnover is defined as all teachers in full-time service in the English publicly funded schools sector on 31 March who were not in full-time service in the same establishment on 31 March a year later. Turnover therefore includes wastage, transfers to other establishments within the publicly funded schools sector and teachers leaving to part-time service. Not all employers record all movements between schools within their area so rates are understated. (3) Full-time wastage is defined as all teachers in full-time service in the English publicly funded schools sector on 31 March who were not in full-time service anywhere in the English publicly funded schools sector on 31 March a year later. This includes teachers leaving to part-time service. (4) Part-time turnover is defined as all teachers in part-time service in the English publicly funded schools sector on 31 March who were not in part-time service in the same establishment on 31 March a year later. Turnover therefore includes wastage, transfers to other establishments within the publicly funded schools sector and teachers leaving to full-time service. Not all employers record all movements between schools within their area so rates are understated. (5) Part-time wastage is defined as all teachers in part-time service in the English publicly funded schools sector on 31 March who were not in part-time service anywhere in the English publicly funded schools sector on 31 March a year later. This includes teachers leaving to full-time service. (6) Full-time and part-time wastage is defined as all teachers in full-time or part-time service in the English publicly funded schools sector on 31 March who were not in full-time or part-time service anywhere in the English publicly funded schools sector on 31 March a year later. This does not include moves between full-time and part-time service. (7) Provisional estimates. (8) Academies are included from 2007-08 onwards. Source: Database of Teacher Records 
		
	
	Between 2000-01 and 2009-10, the full-time turnover and wastage rates remained fairly constant with little variation between the years showing that there has been little variation in full-time teacher retention and wastage in the English publicly funded schools sector during this period.
	However, between 2000-01 and 2009-10, the part-time turnover and wastage rates appear to have fallen very slightly, (it is important to note that data for 2009-10 are provisional and will be revised in future). This may be an indication that between 2000-01 and 2009-10, the retention of part-time teachers in the English publicly funded schools sector has improved slightly.

Teachers: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to assist Peterborough City Council in recruiting high quality graduates into teaching; and if he will make a statement.

David Laws: The Department is committed to raising the quality of trained teachers in all areas of the country. When allocating initial teacher training places, the Department takes into account geographical need. School centred initial teacher training and the new School Direct programme enable all schools to address their future staffing needs by giving them greater responsibility for the recruitment, selection and training of their own teachers.
	We have also put a number of measures in place to attract high quality graduates into teaching, including:
	bursaries of up to £20,000 to attract the best graduates in the subjects where they are most needed;
	scholarships of £20,000 to attract excellent candidates in maths, physics, chemistry, and computer science.

Teachers: Recruitment

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to recruit additional teachers to teach the additional children expected to enter English schools over the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

David Laws: The number of initial teacher training (ITT) places the Department sets each year is informed by the national Teacher Supply Model (TSM). The TSM takes into account the latest national pupil projections and the likely future demand for teachers. School centred initial teacher training and the new School Direct programme will also enable schools to address their future staffing needs by giving them greater responsibility for the recruitment, selection and training of their own teachers.
	The Government have introduced a number of measures to ensure a good supply of high quality trainee teachers as demand from schools rises. These include training bursaries of up to £20,000, prestigious teacher training scholarships and the tripling of the size of the Teach First programme over this Parliament.

Teachers: Recruitment

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) teacher recruitment campaigns conducted between 2005 and 2010, (b) the effect of the suspension of advertising in 2010 and (c) the effect of resumption of such advertising in 2011.

David Laws: The teacher recruitment campaigns have contributed to the successful recruitment of the required numbers of entrants to Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in the last eight years. Full evaluations of the campaigns have been completed, and, in recent years, have been part of the submissions to the Cabinet Office to seek its approval to continue marketing activity.
	In the period 2006 to 2009, the total number of entrants into ITT each year was as follows:
	
		
			 Academic year Entrants to ITT 
			 2006/07 39,830 
			 2007/08 38,360 
			 2008/09 37,810 
			 2009/10 39,500 
		
	
	Advertising was suspended in 2010 for a short period of time. Approvals were given by the Cabinet Office for spend on teacher recruitment marketing for various periods throughout 2010 and 2011. Recruitment to ITT in 2010/11 and 2011/12 was as follows:
	
		
			 Academic year Entrants to ITT 
			 2010/11 38,370 
			 2011/12 36,590 
		
	
	Teacher recruitment campaign activity continued in 2011 and 2012 following approvals from the Cabinet Office and recruitment to ITT for 2012/13 was as follows:
	
		
			 Academic year Entrants to ITT 
			 2012/13 35,380

Teachers: South East

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what measures he intends to take to ensure that schools in London and the South East are not short of teachers in 2013-14 and 2014-15.

David Laws: The Department identifies the number of teachers needed in our schools each year, taking into account the latest national pupil projections and the likely future demand for teachers. The number of initial teacher teaching (ITT) training places the Department sets each year is informed by this national analysis. When allocating initial teacher training places to ITT providers, the Department takes into account geographical need as well as subject demand. School centred initial teacher training and the new School Direct programme enable all schools to address their future staffing needs by giving them greater responsibility for the selection and training of their own teachers. The Government have introduced a number of measures to ensure a good supply of high quality trainee teachers, including in London. These include training bursaries of up to £20,000, prestigious teacher training scholarships and the tripling of the size of the Teach First programme over this Parliament.

Teachers: Training

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the effect on recruitment to initial teacher training of adjusting bursaries, removing golden hellos and increasing fees.

David Laws: Recruitment to training in 2012/13, the first year in which the £6,000 and £9,000 tuition fee caps and the reforms to teacher training bursaries apply, shows a significant improvement from recruitment in 2010/11, the final year for which golden hellos were offered. Provisional figures from the 2012 initial teacher training census suggest the overall proportion of first year post-graduate trainees with a 2.1 or above rose from 62% to 71% over that period. The number of physics trainees registering on courses rose from 670 to 900. The proportion of first year post-graduate maths, physics and chemistry trainees with a 2.1 or above rose by 11, 12 and 13 percentage points respectively.

Teachers: Training

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the final figures for initial teacher training recruitment were in each subject and phase in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2009-10; and whether in each such year this figure was a surplus or shortfall against his Department's target.

David Laws: holding answer 21 March 2013
	Table A shows the final figures for initial teacher training recruitment by subject and phase for academic years 2011/12, 2010/11 and 2009/10, as well as the percentage surplus or shortfall against each of the Department's targets.
	
		
			 Table A: Recruitment to initial teacher training by subject and phase in academic years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 in England 
			 Subject 2011/12 Trainees 2011/12 Target 2011/12 Surplus/Shortfall (%) 2010/11 Trainees 2010/11 Target 2010/11 Surplus/Shortfall (%) 2009/10 Trainees 2009/10 Target 2009-10 Surplus/Shortfall (%) 
			 Art 370 320 16 590 515 15 680 595 14 
			 Biology and General Science 1,140 840 36 1,870 1,200 56 2,260 1,500 51 
			 Chemistry 1,310 1,070 22 1,030 1,070 -4 970 1,005 -3 
			 Citizenship 180 185 -3 280 260 8 280. 265 6 
			 English (inc drama) 2,520 2,100 20 2,640 2,415 9 2,710 2,535 7 
			 Geography(1) 690 615 12 780 665 17 800 715 12 
			 History 690 545 27 660 545 21 760 620 23 
			 Mathematics 2,840 2,635 8 2,880 2,635 9 3,020 2,685 12 
			 Modern Languages 1,430 1,490 -4 1,580 1,390 14 1,750 1,525 15 
			 Music 420 390 8 690 570 21 770 635 21 
			 Other(2) 350 210 67 540 260 108 520 295 76 
			 Physical Education 1,120 890 26 1,560 1,180 32 1,620 1,380 17 
			 Physics 860 925 -7 670 925 -28 570 900 -37 
			 Religious Education 480 460 4 870 655 33 900 695 29 
			 Technology(3) 2,040 1,880 9 2,980 2,560 16 3,130 2,770 13 
			 Secondary(4,5) 16,680 14,555 15 19,970 16845 19 21,280 18120 17 
			 Primary 19,910 19,730 1 18,380 18640 -1 18,220 18050 1 
			 Total 36,590 34,285 7 38,370 35485 8 39,500 36170 9 
			 (1) Geography includes Leisure and Tourism for consistency across the time-series. (2) Other includes Classics, Dance, Economics, Social Sciences, Psychology. (3) Technology includes Design and Technology, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Business Studies, Graphics, Textiles and Food Technology. (4) Vocational subjects include Applied Art and Design; Applied ICT; Applied Science; Applied Business; Engineering; Manufacturing, Creative and Media, Health and Social Care and Society, Health and Personal Development. (5) Diplomas are a qualification for 14 to 19-year-olds. Diplomas can be studied at three levels and were available to students from September 2009. Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10, so totals may not appear to be the sum of their parts. Source: TDA/TA ITT Trainee Numbers Census 2009/10 to 2011/12

Teachers: Veterans

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many armed forces personnel have joined the teaching profession as a result of the Troops to Teachers programme; how many of those remain teaching in the maintained sector; and what assessment he has made of their effectiveness.

David Laws: holding answer 25 March 2013
	The new Troops to Teachers (TtT) programme will encourage high quality, eligible graduate service leavers to apply for School Direct (Salaried) places, and receive additional personalised training. For graduate service leavers preferring fee-paying routes, there will be an additional bursary available to incentivise these routes. Troops to Teachers will provide opportunities for service leavers without degrees, but with some prior academic credits, to train as teachers during academic year 2013/14 and 2014/15. The opportunities offered under Troops to Teachers will be linked to market need and jobs in schools, and will be open to service leavers in England. Through Troops to Teachers there is capacity to support over 1,000 places during 2013/14 and 2014/15.
	Since the Troops to Teachers policy was first announced, the Teaching Agency reports that between March 2011 and March 2013 over 7,200 service leavers have registered their interest in teaching. The numbers of service leavers who have chosen to apply for existing initial teacher training courses has also increased: 342 service leavers applied over this period, with 139 accepted and currently training.

Vetting

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2013, Official Report, column 473W, on vetting, which special advisers in his private ministerial office have developed vetting security clearance; and when they received any such clearance.

Elizabeth Truss: holding answer 14 March 2013
	The Department for Education determines its vetting requirements in line with Her Majesty's Government's Security Policy Framework. Information on the framework is available via:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmg-personnel-security-controls
	For reasons of national security and Data Protection Act considerations, it would not be appropriate to disclose information which could lead to the identification of individuals who are subject to vetting.
	Copies of this document will be placed in the House Libraries.